THE 


HUMAN    ELEMENT 


SACRED  SCRIPTURES, 


T.    F.    CURTIS,    E>.r>., 

LATE  PKOFESSOU  OP  TUICOLOOY  IN  TUE  UNI^'EKSITY  AT  LEWISBUKO,  PA. 


"  The  Bible  presents  to  us  in  whatever  way  we  regard  it,  two  distinct  elements,  —  the  Divine, 
nnd  the  Human.    This  is  a  matter  of  fact.."  —  Leb  on  Ik stikatiOS,  Lec,  I.  r.  32. 

. . .'.  "  There  seems  no  need  to  fear  the  admission  ot  a  human  clement  as  well  as  a  Divine,  in 
Scripture."—  Aids  to  Faith,  Ess-vy  VII. 

"  The  Lord  will  build  himself  in  Science,  as  well  as  in  1/ife,  a  new  tabernacle  in  which  to 
dwell ;  nnd  neither  a  stubborn  adherence  to  antiquity,  nor  a  profane  appetite  for  novelty,  can 
hinder  this  work  of  the  Lord  which  is  now  preparing."— Neandee's  Lifb  of  Curist,  Au- 

THOB'S  AODBESS. 


NEW  YORK : 

D.    APPLETON    &   COMPANY, 

443  &  445  Broadway. 

18G7.  y 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congresa,  in  the  3'ear  1867,  by 

T.   F.    CURTIS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


PREFACE. 


In  preparing  lectures,  year  by  year,  for  the  The- 
ological Department  of  the  University,  I  found  on 
each  occasion  increasing  difficulty  in  expressing  any 
set  of  views  on  the  subject  of  Inspiration,  at  once 
clear,  consistent  and  satisfactorily  meeting  all  the 
difficulties  that  presented  themselves  to  my  own  mind. 
Each  successive  year  these  lectures  altered,  or  rather 
grew,  slowly  and  steadily,  but  always  in  one  direc- 
tion. A  greater  degree  of  importance  attached  itself 
to  the  consideration  of  the  Human  Element  in  the 
interpretation  of  many  difficult  passages  of  Scripture. 
By  degrees,  following  many,  if  not  most,  of  the  pres- 
ent age,  whose  studies  have  led  them  to  this  class 
of  investigation,  I  had  so  far  entered  into  Neander's 
views,  and  drifted  from  the  former  accustomed  teach- 
ings of  the  denomination  whose  future  ministers  I 
was  instructing,  that  I  found  it  best  to  give  the  stu- 
dents fairly  an  historical  digest  of  the  various  opin- 
ions that  have  grown  up  in  the  course  of  centuries, 


4  PREFACE. 

including  those  that  are  being  advanced  in  our  own 
times.  Having  done  this,  I  then  mentioned  in  \yhat 
direction  the  truth  seemed  to  me  to  lie,  at  the  same 
time  frankly  declaring  that  in  some  of  these  respects 
my  own  mind  leaned  increasingly  to  views  broader 
than  the  current  opinions.  I  was  well  aware,  how- 
ever, that  in  all  the  Evangelical  denominations  a 
growing  number  of  the  most  intelligent  and  influ- 
ential ministers,  including  some  conspicuously  active 
and  useful  in  every  good  word  and  work,  were  quietly 
drifting  in  the  same  direction.  But  they  \vere  not 
obhgcd  annually  to  define  their  position  as  I  was. 
It  therefore  seemed  to  me  the  most  proper  course  to 
resign  my  professorship,  examine  the  whole  subject 
more  thoroughly  and  independently,  and  publish  such 
conclusions  as  might  seem  calculated  to  assist  others 
tried  by  the  same  difficulties  and  struggles  that  have 
cost  me  at  times  so  much  perplexity  and  pain. 

Having,  however,  taken  the  first  of  these  steps,  I 
at  one  time  seemed  to  myself  exempted  thereby  from 
the  necessity  of  taking  the  second.  While  I  was  an 
appointed  Theological  Instructor,  it  was  clearly  my 
duty,  humbly,  honestly  and  prayerfully,  to  investigate 
for  truth,  and  then,  so  far  as  I  had  found  it,  utter 
it  faithfully  and  impartially.  But  having  resigned 
this  position,  might  I  not  now  safely  leave  the  the- 
ology of  the  age  1o  take  care  of  itself  ?  If,  as  I 
believe,  it  is  a  inere  question  of  time,  how  long  mis- 


PREFACE.  5 

taken  and  antiquated  opinions  can  survive,  why  should 
I  undertake  to  molest  views  quietly  dying  out  among 
the  most  thoughtful,  and  wound  the  feelings  of  pious 
brethren  whom  it  is  impossible  not  to  love,  and  who 
might  even  think  it  doing  God  service  to  assail  with 
bitterness  what  has  been  written  from  a  trembling  but 
earnest  desire  to  promote  a  living  Christianity  in  place 
of  a  dead  formality. 

But  it  appeared  to  me  that  men  in  Evangelical 
religious  circles  were  for  the  most  part  too  cautious 
in  speaking  with  candor,  or  in  making  any  conces- 
sions not  absolutely  wrung  from  them  by  the  force 
of  circumstances,  and  that  the  tendency  of  much  of 
the  teaching  in  our  Theological  Seminaries  is  to 
stifle  deep  thorough  and  candid  enquiry  on  all  these 
points,  and  therefore  to  leave  our  rising  Ministry 
quite  unprepared  for  the  work  of  the  age  before 
them.  To  adhere  only  to  that  which  is  old,  seemed 
to  me  the  final  tendency  of  the  exhortations  of  even 
such  men  as  Dr.  McCosh  when  at  Andover  last 
summer.  This  was  the  great  lesson  he  appeared  to 
bring  over  from  his  past  experiences  in  Europe.  It 
is  with  regret  I  see  so  little  real  and  hearty  fellow- 
ship with  that  which  is  living  and  therefore  growing, 
and  which  must  be  more  warmly  welcomed  by  the 
religion  that  is  to  guide  the  coming  age. 

A  most  valued  friend  advised  me  not  to  publish 
until  I  felt  "a  woe  upon  me"  if  I  uttered  not  what 


6  PREFACE. 

I  think  to  be  true.  And  such  is  my  dread  of  all 
want  of  candor  and  want  of  courage  to  utter  freely 
well  considered  convictions  of  truth  and  duty,  that 
perhaps  I  might  say  it  is  some  what  in  this  spirit 
that  I  write.  It  is,  indeed,  the  fool  who  uttereth  all 
his  mind,  and  there  is  much  truth  in  what  Dr.  Pusey 
has  written  as  to  that  "  economy "  which  should  be 
the  law  resting  on  the  lips  of  the  religious  teachers 
of  mankind.  But  the  duty  of  candid  utterance  of 
Christian  truth  and  experience,  at  any  cost  of  per- 
sonal feeling,  is  also  a  part  of  that  Cross  which  each 
follower  of  Christ  may  not  refuse  to  bear.  The 
Master  declared  :  "  In  secret  have  I  said  •  nothing." 
"  Proclaim  it  on  the  house  tops."  In  fact,  it  is  this 
religious  reticence  that  is  now  most  to  be  dreaded. 
But  it  is  hope  of  good,  more  than  fear  of  woe, 
that  impels  me  to  publish  the  following  pages. 
There  are  many  whose  minds  are  now  filled  with  most 
painful  anxieties  lest  in  yielding  respect  to  the  rea- 
son God  has  placed  within  them,  they  should  be 
refusing  to  walk  by  faith  in  his  Revelation  of  him- 
self in  the  Scriptures.  This  is  often  caused  as  I 
know  through  experience,  by  the  want  of  a  suffi- 
ciently broad  consideration  and  honor  of  God's 
other  Revelations  of  himself  in  Nature,  those  '  elder 
Scriptures;'  in  Providence,  where  God  daily  unfolds 
his  will ;  in  History,  where  his  past  dealings  are 
made    prognostics    of    his   future    plans;    and  in    Ptc- 


PREFACE.  7 

ligious  Experience,  where  the  Spirit  of  God  reveals 
his  will  directly  to  the  Christian  consciousness. 
The  true  harmony  of  all  the  Divine  methods  of 
teaching  us  his  will,  best  show  the  real  position 
and   divine  intention   of  the    Christian  Records. 

The  Bible  for  the  purposes  for  which  it  was 
given,  cannot  be  prized  too  reverently;  it  can 
never  lose  its  hold  on  the  hearts  of  the  good. 
Viewed  from  the  ti"ue  stand  point,  and  interpreted 
not  in  opposition  to,  but  in  harmony  with  all 
God's  other  teachings  and  revelations  of  himself,  it 
will  unfold  new  wonders  and  beauties  to  each  age 
yet  to  come,  and  exhibit  the  progressive  develop- 
ment of  the  Religious  Spirit  in  the  history  of  man, 
among  those  who  have  followed  the  teachings  of 
Him  who  spake  as  never  man  spake.  I  have  sought 
earnestly  to  attain  and  express  correct  views  on  this 
subject,  independently  of  their  bearing  on  any  party 
or  creed;  yet  not  for  a  merely  speculative  purpose, 
but  to  find  a  religion  by  which  to  live  in  all  sin- 
cerity, simplicity  and  wisdom ;  by  which  to  die  also 
in  peace,  charity  and  hope,  handing  down  to  my 
children  as  the  best  of  all  riches,  this  inheritance, 
that  cannot  fade  away,  —  a  firm  faith  in  Christianity,  be- 
cause it  is  true,  and  the  essence  of  Universal  Religion. 
Next,  however,  to  the  possession  of  its  Spirit  which  giv- 
eth  life  should  1  desire  them  to  grow  up  free  from  that 


8  PREFACE. 

bondage  to  the  letter,  which  too  often  killeth  both  the 
light  of  reason  and  the  growth  of  love  in  the  soul. 

For  many  years  I  conscientiously  and  earnestly  strug- 
gled to  maintain  the  current  theories  of  the  Infallibilty 
of  Scripture  Inspiration  until  all  possibility  of  doing  so 
reasonably  and  honestly  was  gone.  Only  very  slowly, 
unwillingly,  and  against  every  earthly  pre-possession 
and  interest,  have  I  felt  obliged  to  relinquish  long 
cherished  and  early  opinions  in  respect  to  this  point. 
And  I  wish  here  only  further  to  express  my  conviction 
and  testimony  as  to  the  little  alteration  it  necessarily  in- 
volves in  the  experimental  parts  of  Christian  Theology 
while  yet  giving  them  a  progressive  tendency  and  move- 
ment which  is,  in  fact,  a  new  life  and  vividness,  of 
value  incalculable  to  those  who  like  myself  have  been 
ever  prone  to  settle  down  into  an  excessive  conserva- 
tism except  as  shaken  from  its  sloth  by  Divine 
Providence  and  grace.  It  need  and  ought  not  to 
involve  controversy  among  Christians.  And  humbly 
do  I  pray  that  the  change  which  I  see  inevitable  on 
this  subject,  may  take  place  quietly  in  the  Evangelical 
Churches  of  our  land,  without  strife  and  bitterness,  but 
marked  with  an  increase  of  gentleness,  charity,  earnest- 
ness and  zeal.  Such  surely  was  the  spirit  and  inten- 
tion of  the  Master. 

T.  F.  C. 

4  Inman  Street, 
Cambkipgeport,  Mass., 

Mav,  1B07.  , 


CONTEl^TS. 


INTRODUCTORY    CHAPTER. 

The  Object  of  this  "Work  (a)  not  to  Unsettle  any  thing,  (h)  but  to 
Express  Broader  and  more  Solid  Views;  Robertson,  (p.  14.)  And 
Positive  instead  of  Ne£?ative;  Gaussen,  (p.  15.)  It  is  better  to  assert 
too  little  than  too  much,  (p.  15.)  Some  Causes  that  have  Unsettled 
tlie  Views  of  many  ;  Geology,  (p.  IG.)  The  Antiquity  of  the 
Race  (p.  17.)  Theological  Opinions  Rapidly  Modifymg  ;  Ar- 
nold'(p.  19.)  Coleridge;  Neander,  (p.  20.)  Essays  and  Reviews ; 
Colenso,  (p.  21.)  Robertson,  (p.  22.)  Dean  Stanley,  (p.  2,3.) 
Hanna;  Bayne,  (p.  24.)  The  Breaking  up  of  a  Theological  Win- 
ter (p.  25.)  Our  Dangers  those  of  a  Rapid  Spring,  (p.  2G.)  Dead- 
ncs's  of  much  Rrcaching,  (p.  27.)  INIany  have  come  round  to  a 
Higher  Feeling  in  regard  to  Christianity  and  the  Divinity  of  the 
Scriptures,  (p.  29.)  Superiority  of  Protestant  Nations  due  to 
the  Bible  and  its  Circulation,  (p.  30.)  Better  than  the  Church 
alone,  (p.  31.)  The  Efibrt  of  Modern  Theologians  to  Reconcile 
Science  Avith  Faith  in  Christianity  ;  Puseyism,  (p.  32.)  The  Object 
of  tills  Work  more  specifically  to  Meet  the  Wants  of  Evangelically 
Educated  ISIen  in  danger  of  IiifideUty  through  INIisconceiving  Chris- 
tianity, (p.  33.)  Superstitious  Views  of  Scriptures  seen  at  Reforma- 
tion, (p.  34.)  Dreaded  Effects  of  the  Corrected  Calendar,  (p.  35.) 
Dreaded  Eftccts  of  the  Reformation,  (p.  3G.)  Not  only  the  Church, 
but  the  Scriptures,  though  Inspired,  are  Fallible,  (p.  37.)  It  will 
be  shown  that  this  does  not  Impair  their  Claim  to  Divme  Author- 
ity, (p.  37.) 

CHAPTER    I. 

Use  of   the  Teum   Inspiration 39 

'l.  "Inspiration"  in  the  Bible,  Job  32:  7-8;  II  Tim.  3:  IG,  (p.  40.) 
Summary.  II.  Inspiration  contains  a  Human  as  well  as  a  Divine 
Element,  (p.  44.)  III.  It  is  a  Positive,  not  a  Negative  Term, 
(p.  4G.)     IV.  Mr.  MoiTill's  View  of  it,  (p.  50.) 


10  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    II. 

Modern  Views   Stated  and   Classified, 53 

Two  Leading  Theories.  I.  Those  which  Magnify  the  Divine  Element 
alone.  1.  Tlie  Eoman  Catholic  View,  (p.  54.)  2.  The  Modern 
High  Church  View,  (p.  5G.)  3.  View  of  Modern  Orthodox  Protes- 
tants, (p.  57.)  4.  The  Dynamical  Theory,  (p.  58.)  Kew  nami> 
Bhirc  Confession,  (p.  59.)  Dr.  Dwight,  Dr.  Hill,  Dr.  Henderson, 
Dr.  Lee,  (p.  Gl.)  II.  Theories  whicli  Ignore  the  Divine  Element, 
(p.  62.)  1.  Strauss,  (p.  62.)  2.  Baur,  (p.  68.)  3.  'Eenan,  (p.  74.) 
4.  Theodore  Parker,  (p.  77.) 

CHAPTER    III. 

Theories  Mediating  between  the  Extremes, 81 

Eclecticism  in  Philosophy  and  Religion,  (p.  81.)  1.  Schleiermacher, 
(p.  84.)  2.  De  Wette,  (p.  8D.)  3.  Neander,  (p.  91.)  4.  Dr. 
Priestly,  (p.  92.)  5.  Dr.  Pye  Smith,  (p.  93.)  6.  Coleridge,  (p.  94.)' 
7.  Arnold,  (p.  103.)  8.  The  Broad  Church,  (p.  109.)  9.  Aids  to 
Faith,  (p.  110.)  10.  Colcnso,  (p.  111.)  11.  Dr.  Davidson,  (p.  111.) 
12.  Robertson,  (p.  115.)  13.  Westcott,  (p.  118.)  14.  Farrar,  (p.  119.) 
15.  Summary  of  the  whole,  (p.  120.) 


CHAPTER    IV. 

External  Difficulties  as  to  the  Infalliuility  of  the 

Old  Testament  Inspiration, 122 

I.  The  Chronology,  (p.  122.)  II.  Geology,  (p.  131.)  The  Deluge, 
(p.  131.)  Berosus,  (p.  133.)  Belgium  Bone  Caves,  (p.  138.)  Six 
Days  or  Periods,  (p.  140.)     Antiquity  of  Man,  (p.  157.) 

CHAPTER    V. 
I.vternal  Difficulties, 168 

1.   The   Allegorizing    System,    (p.   168.)      2.   The   Points,   (p.    170.) 

3.  Documentary  and   Anonymous   Character  of  Genesis,  (p.  174.) 

4.  Formation  of  Old  Testament  Canon,  (p.  182.)  . 

CHAPTER    VI. 

New  Testament  Tf.aciiings  on  the  Inspiration  of  the  Old,.  192 

The  Popular  View  begs  the  Question,  (p.  193.)  The  Teachings  of 
.Jesus  Recorded  by  others,  (p.  193.  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  (p.  194.) 
John  10 :  35,  (p.  199.)     St.  Paul,  (p.  202.)     II  Peter,  (p.  203.) 


CONTENTS.  11 


CHAPTER    VII. 

New  Testament  Inspiration  Does  Not  Claim  Infallibility,. 207 

No  Promise  Specially  for  these  Writings,  (p.  208.)  Writers  Claim 
no  more  for  Words  Written  than  Words  Spoken,  (p.  209.)  John 
14:25-2r>,  (p.  200.)  Matthew  10:19,  (p.  210.)  Paul  Bases  his 
Whole  Claim  on  his  Apostlcship,  (p.  212.)  Luke  1  :  1-4,  (p.  21-5.) 
Revelations,  (p.  217.)  The  Genealogies  Disprove  it,  (p.  222.)  The 
Relations  of  the  Three  Synoptical  Gospels,  (p.  224.)  The  Gospel  of 
John,  (p.  229.) 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

Autiiokity  in  Religion, 233 

Sir  William  Hamilton  on  Authority  and  Reason,  (p.  238.)  Natural 
Religion  a  Science,  (p-  240.)  Dr.  Mansel,  (p.  240.)  "Reason  in 
Religion,"  (p.  241.)  Paley's  Defect,  (p.  242.)  Comte's  Philosophy, 
(p.  242.)  Renan's  Error,  (p.  245.)  Christianity  supposed  by  some 
to  Exclude  Reason,  (p.  216.)  Natural  and  Revealed  Religion  not 
Antagonistic,  (p.  247.)  Knowledge  of  all  other  and  of  Religious 
.  Truth  Corresponds  in  the  same  Tliree  Methods,  (p.  250. ) 


CHAPTER    IX. 

r^TuE  Cukistian  Idea  of  the  Inspiring  Spirit, 254 

The  Paraclete,   (p.   256.)     Classical   Sense,    (p.   256.)     How  far  the 
Comforter,  (p.  260.)     Its  Comprehensiveness,  (p.  261.) 

CHAPTER    X. 

The  New  Testament  Documents, 269 

Clement's  First  Epistle,  (p.  269.)    Paul's  Epistles,  (p.  270.)    The  Acts, 
(p.  271.)    The  Gospels,  (p.  275.)     The  CathoUc  Epistles,  (p.  278.) 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Objections  Against  what  has  Been  Advanced, 280 

1.  That  we   Give  up  Every  Thing,  (p.  283.)     2.  That  it  Leads  to 
Rationalism,  (p.  287.)     Mr.  Lccky's  Work,  (p.  288.) 

CHAPTER    XII 
Summary  View, t 294 


12  CONTENTS. 

1.  It  crosses  all  Antiquity,  (p.  294.)  2.  Diversities  that  are  Discrep- 
ancies, (p.  297.)  3.  A  universal  Religious  Language,  (p.  301.)  4. 
It  would  require  the  Infallibility  of  the  recipient,  (p.  302.)  5.  It  is 
disproved  by  the  Inspired  ■writers.  6.  It  necessitates  spiritualizing 
interpretation,  (p.  304.)  7.  Stultifies  Intellectual  and  Moral  culture, 
(p.  305.)  Detracts  from  the  true  Inspiration  of  the  Church,  (p.  310.) 
Destroys  the  Divine  Authority  of  the  whole,  (p.  312.) 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

The  Tkue  View  of  the  Isspikation  of  the  Bible, 314 

•'I.  A  peculiar  and  human  style  to  each,  (p.  315.)  2.  Each  part  only 
herein  connection  with  the  whole,  (p.  316.)  3.  Nor  independently 
of  the  Spirit  and  Providence,  (p.  317. )  4.  Nor  rendering  us  indepen- 
dent of  all  God's  other  Revelations  of  his  Will,  (p.  317.)  5.  Leaves 
Science  free,  (p.  318.)  6.  Aids  chiefly  the  special  purpose  of  the 
writer,  (p.  318.)  7.  As  distinct  from  his  preconceived  ideas,  (p.  321.) 
8.  Defects  in  the  Apostles' writings  as  in  their  lives,  (p.  322.)  9. 
Teachings  proportioned  to  our  need  and  capacity,  (p.  324.)  10.  Rev- 
elation unfolds  and  expands  with  each  age,  (p.  324.)  The  Church  a 
Living  and  Inspired  body,  (p.  325.) 


CHAPTER    XIV. 
Bearing  of  the  Whole  on  Religious  Efforts  and  Denom- 
inations.   333 

On  the  State,  (p.  327.)  On  Unitarians  and  Roman  Catholics,  (p.  343.) 
On  Episcopalians,  (p.  348.)  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists, 
(p.  351.)  Methodists  and  Baptists,  (p.  353.)  Christian  Ministers 
and  Thinkers,  (p.  359.) 


CHAPTER    XV. 

True  Evidences  Indicated, 370 

1.  Effects  of  Christianity  on  Human  Life.  2.  Marriage,  (p.  373.)  3. 
On  International  Law,  (p.  378.)  4.  On  the  strength  of  the  Will  to 
do  right,  (p.  382.) 


INTEODUCTOEY  CHAPTER. 

"  The  theory  of  a  servile  literality  of  Inspu-ation  has  put  the  most 
ostensibly  powerful  arms  into  the  hands  of  the  foes  of  God  and  man." 
— Dr.  J.  Pye  Smith  on  the  Person  of  the  Messiah,  Book  I,  ch,  2:  Notes 
5,  Appendix 

THERE  will,  perhaps,  be  much  in  the  following  pages, 
that  some  excellent  Christians  will  esteem  highly 
dangerous  concessions,  as  tending  to  favor,  and  even  to 
foster  scepticism.  Let  such  read  before  they  decide. 
The  object  in  view  is  certainly  not  to  ?msettle  the  faith 
of  any  in  regard  to  the  Inspu-ation  of'  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, but  rather  to  establish  it  on  a  true  and  solid  basis. 
I  do  not  desire  to  unsettle  anything,  and  should  not  feel 
called  upon  to  write  this  work  merely  to  disabuse  the 
minds  of  those  who  can  and  do  continue  devoutely  to 
hold  such  views  of  plenary  Inspiration  as  are  advanced 
even  by  Gaussen,  though  they  seem  to  me  in  a  mistake, 
and  to  a  certain  degree  as  holding  on  to  a  superstition 
that  is  rapidly  being  exploded. 

13 


14  ROBERTSON    OF   BRIGUTON. 

It  is  not  less,  but  more  reverence  that  should    be 
cherished  for  these  holy  books  as  our  guides,  especially 
in  regard  to  the  Divinely  authorized  and  "  profitable " 
objects  of  "  doctrine,  reproof,  correction,  and  instruction 
in  righteousness."     Here  it  is  that  we  find  the  best 
proofs   of  their  inspiration.*     It  is  not  narrower,  but 
broader,  loftier  and  more  enlarged  views  of  that  sub- 
ject  that  I  desire  to  exhibit   even   if  at  the   risk   of 
momentary   and   perhaps    painful    trial   of  the    faith 
of  some  to  whom  such  views  may  be  new.     F.  W. 
Robertson   of  Brighton  well  says,  "  It  seems   to   me 
that   this   feeling   of    vagueness    is    inevitable,   when 
we  dare  to  launch  out  upon  the  sea  of  truth.     I  remem- 
ber  that   half   painful,   half   sublime  sensation   in  the 
first  voyage  I  took  out  of  sight  of  land  when  I  was  a 
boy,  when  old  landmarks  and  horizon  were  gone,  and  I 
felt  as  if  I  had  no  home.     It  was  a  pain  to  find  the 
world  so  large.     By  degrees,  the  mind  got  familiarized 
to  that  feeling,  and  a  joyful  sense  of  fi'eedom  came. 
So  I  think  it  is  with  spiritual  truth.     It  is  a  strangely 
desolate  feeling  to  perceive  that  the  "truth"  and  the 
"  Gospel "  that  we  have  known,  were  but  a  small  home 
farm  in  the  great  Universe,  but  at  last  I  think  we  begin 
to  see  sun,  moon,  and  stars  as  before,  and  to  discover 
that  we  are  not  lost,  but  free  with  a  latitude  and  longi- 
tude as  certain  and  far  grander  than  before."     Enlarged 

*  1  Tim.  0:  10. 


POSITIVE   VIEWS    OF   INSPIRATION.  15 

views  of  our  subject,  will  produce  just  such  effects  as 
these. 

Negative  assertions  of  Inspiration,  such  as  those  of 
Gaussen,  that  there  arc  no  mistakes  in  our  Bibles  as 
to  matters  of  science  or  fact  will  hardly  be  found  profit- 
able to  the  Church  at  the  present  time.  It  is,  rather, 
the  positive  truth,  much  more  easily  made  clear  and 
certain,  which  is  needed,  that  here  vast  bodies  of  living 
principles  are  revealed,  and  that  these  writings  are 
channels  through  which  God  and  the  soul  are  brought 
near  to  each  other,  and  Divine  truth  and  life  infused 
into  the  heart  of  the  believer. 

In  asserting  this  view,  it  is  better  for  the  friends  of 
Christianity,  if  they  must  err,  to  begin  by  claiming  too 
little  rather  than  too  much,  and  to  proceed  with  the 
utmost  caution  from  that  which  is  clear  and  easily 
proved  by  experience,  to  those  points  which  must 
require  at  least  more  faith  and  deeper  consideration. 

But  there  are  many  even  of  the  most  devout  Chris- 
tians, and  of  those  piously  educated,  whose  minds  are 
in  danger  of  being  hopelessly  alienated  from  the 
Scriptures,  or  at  least  from  all  sense  of  their  Inspira- 
tion, by  the  assertions  put  forth  by  well  meaning  friends 
of  Christianity,  which  they  are  unable  to  reconcile 
either  with  the  claims  of  science,  or  of  the  books 
themselves. 

Geology  has  taught  every  educated  youth,  facts  in 


16  USHER   AND    H.VLES. 

regard  to  the  world's  antiquity,  that  cannot  be  made  to 
agree  with  any  fair  interpretation  of  the  six  days  of 
Genesis.  In  England,  the  leading  young  men  intend- 
ing to  go  out  either  in  the  Civil  or  the  Military  service 
to  India,  study  Sanscrit,  the  Zend  and  other  Indian 
languages,  and  when  they  do  so,  they  are  startled  at 
some  things  they  find  in  the  Avestas  and  the  Vedas. 
Within  a  few'years,  fiill  English  translations  of  many 
of  these  works  have  been  published  in  London  as  weU 
as  the  fragments  from  Berosus,  Sanconiatho  and 
others.  These  aU  suggest  difficulties.  He  who  exam- 
ines the  antiquities  of  Egypt,  finds  dates  most  respect- 
ably given  for  it  as  a  flourishing  kingdom,  which  it  will 
be  impossible  to  reconcile  with  that  of  the  flood,  at 
least  according  to  Usher,  or  even  Hales  B.  C.  3254. 
Indeed,  Bunsen  does  not  hesitate  to  assert  it  as  a  well 
established  fact,  that  Menes  the  first  king  must  have 
lived  B.  C.  3643,  while  Lepsius  places  it  3893. 

Bat  what  are  dates  like  these,  to  the  Geological 
periods  which  Sir  Charles  Lyell  thinks  indicated  by 
the  sixty  feet  of  penetrated  mud  of  the  Nile,  through- 
out which  he  finds  burnt  brick  and  other  evidences  of 
civilized  man,  without  having  yet  reached  the  bottom. 
They  appear  to  prove  not  less  than  twelve  thousand 
years,  and  perhaps  thirty  thousand,  while  the  Hebrew 
Bible  allows  us  but  six  thousand,  and  the  Septuagint 
less  than  eight   thousand  years    since   creation.     And 


SIR   CHARLfiS   LYELL.  17 

further,  the  deepest  of  these  borings  on  the  banks  of  the 
Nile  show  man  surrounded  by  no  species  of  animal 
now  extinct,  while  it  is  clear  that  the  human  race  has 
existed  in  company  with  many  species  now  no  more. 
The  race  of  man  must,  therefore,  be  much  older. 
It  is  in  this  way  Lyell  argues,  that  "geologically 
speaking,  and  in  reference  to  the  first  age  of  stone,  these 
records  of  the  valley  of  the  Nile  may  be  called  ex- 
tremely  modern.''^ 

This  subject  was  brought  to  my  own  attention  first 
in  1845.  Bent  on  finding  arguments  to  substantiate 
the  Hebrew  Chronology,  a  summer's  vacation  from 
ministerial  duty  had  been  spent  in  looking  into  Egyp 
tian  Antiquities.  I  was  invited  to  see,  what  Dr.  Koch 
foolishly  called,  the  fossil  skeleton  of  a  sea  serpent, 
recently  brought  by  him  from  near  Clairbourne,  Ala- 
bama, to  New  York.  Seeing  me  interested  in  the 
account  of  his  more  important  discovery  of  the  Mis- 
sourium,  he  took  me  into  another  apartment  and 
showed  me  two  Indian  arrow  heads  of  rose  quartz  and 
then  explained  that  he  had  discovered  them  directlj 
underneath  the  huge  femur  or  thigh  bone  of  this- 
enormous  animal.  According  to  his  account,  this 
creature  must  have  been  bogged  in  the  bed  of  a  river, 
and  attacked  by  Indians  who  had  shot  these  and  other 
arrows  into  him,  thrown  large  quantities  of  stones  and 
rocks  at  him,  and  finally  built  large  fires  around  him, 


18  DR.   KOCH. 

some  of  the  charcoal  and  charred  bones  of  the  legs 
showing  this.  The  legs  broken,  the  feet  remained  in  the 
bog  upright,  and  the  body  had  fallen  over  on  its  side, 
thus  burying  the  arrows.  Incredulous  that  any  race  of 
Indians  could  have  been  contemporary  with  an  animal 
of  this  species,  I  cross-questioned  the  man  very  closely. 
At  last  he  gave  me  a  full  printed  account  of  the 
matter,  assuring  me  that  I  might  rely  on  the  truth  of 
every  word.  I  left  sick  at  heart,  for  I  saw  that  if  that 
should  ever  be  proved  true,  there  was  an  end  to  the 
usual  opinions  as  to  the  date  of  the  human  race,  since, 
according  to  his  account,  the  stratum  covering  up  this 
animal,  was  of  the  upper  post  pliocene,  of  about  the 
same  period  as  that  in  which  the  arrow  heads  and 
other  relics  of  human, existence  have  been  since  found 
in  France,  but  older  by  many  thousand  years  than  the 
Alluvium  or  Recent  formations  in  which  alone  human 
remains  were  supposed  to  be  traceable. 

To  show  how  reluctantly  and  against  all  his  preju- 
dices. Sir  Charles  Lyell  must  have  come  to  regard 
these  as  proofs  of  human  existence  at  so  early  a  date, 
I  may  mention  that  a  few  months  later,  when  he  visi- 
ted Tuskaloosa,  I  took  occasion  to  relate  what  Dr. 
Koch  had  so  solemnly  assured  me.  He  became  quite 
indignant  against  Dr.  K.,  called  him  an  impostcr,  and 
declared  his  utter  disbelief  of  the  whole  story.  So 
should  I  have  done,  but  for  the  circumstantiality  of  his 


DR.    ARNOLD.  19 

statement.  I  therefore  carefully  preserved  the  pamphlet, 
and  when  eighteen  years  later,  Sir  Charles  Lyell's  work 
on  the  Antiquity  of  Man  was  published,  I  at  least 
knew  it  \vas  not  the  work  of  a  theorist  trying  to  estab- 
lish a  preconceived  notion,  but  of  one  convinced 
against  all  his  earlier  prepossessions.  It  is  thus  be- 
coming every  day  more  difficult  for  a  candid  mind  to 
be  a  firm  believer  in  Geology,  and,  indeed,  in  any  of 
the  modern  sciences,  and  yet  retain  faith  in  the  old  and 
accustomed  views  of  Inspiration  commonly  taught  in 
our  childhood. 

And  if  from  science  and  ordinary  literature,  we  turn 
to  Theology,  everything  betokens  a  very  great  revolu- 
tion of  opinion  rapidly  approaching.  For  the  last 
thirty  or  forty  years,  scholars  whose  writings  have  been 
in  most  esteem  for  profound  culture  combined  with 
deep  piety  have  also  been  conspicuous  for  avowing 
their  abandonment  of  the  old  views  of  Inspiration. 
Arnold,  of  Rugby,  the  Apostle  of  Christian  culture  of 
Young  England  in  its  best  form,  with  his  faith  in  earn- 
est living  Christianity,  and  his  adoration  of  the  person 
and  teachings  of  Christ,  openly  exhibited  a  freedom 
from,  and  dislike  to  the  current  belief  in  the  infallibility 
of  the  Inspiration  of  the  Bible ;  while  he  foresaw  in 
this,  as  he  said,  as  great  a  shock  to  the  feelings  of 
Protestant  Christendom  as  Roman  Catholic  Chris- 
tianity had  received  three  hundred  years  ago,  from  the 
downfall  of  the  belief  in  the  infalhbility  of  the  Church. 


20  neander's  \tew. 

Coleridge  may  be  said  to  have  broken  ground  on 
this  subject  in  England,  and  his  C^onfessions  of  an  In- 
quiring Spirit,  published  after  his  death,  have  produced 
a  greater  effect  morally  among  thinking  Christians, 
than  all  he  had  published  during  his  life.  When 
Neander  wrote  his  Life  of  Christ,  in  answer  really  to 
Strauss'  Life  of  Jesus,  he  felt  it  necessary  to  "  distin- 
guish what  is  divine  from  what  is  human  in  the 
Gospel  record." .  "  I  am  certain,"  he  says,  "  that  the 
fall  of  the  old  form  of  the  doctrine  of  Inspiration  and, 
indeed,  of  many  other  doctrinal  prejudices,  will  not 
only  not  involve  the  fall  of  the  essence  of  the.  Gospel, 
but  will  cause  it  no  detriment  whatever.  Nay,  I 
believe  it  will  be  more  clearly  and  accurately  under- 
stood, and  men  will  be  better  prepared  to  fight  with, 
and  to  conquer  that  inrushing  infidelity,  against  which 
the  loeapons  of  the  old  dog-matism  must  be  poiverless  in 
any  land,  and  that  from  such  a  struggle,  a  new  theol- 
ogy, purified  and  renovated  in  the  spirit  of  the  gospel 
must  arise.  Everywhere  we  see  the  signs  of  a  new 
creation ;  the  Lord  will  build  himself  in  science  as  well 
as  in  life,  a  new  tabernacle  in  which  to  dwell,  and  nei- 
ther a  stubborn  adherence  to  antiquity,  nor  a  profane 
appetite  for  novelty  can  hinder  this  work  of  the  Lord 
which  is  now  preparing.  May  we  never  forget  the 
words  of  the  gi-cat  Apostle :  where  the  spirit  of  the 
Lord  is,  there  is  liberty." 


PROF.    MAURICE   AND    F.    W.    NEWMAN.  21 

By  the  "  stubborn  adherence  to  antiquity,"  Neancler 
probably  referred  chiefly  to  Puseyism  and  the  High 
Church  generally,  which  was  one  of  the  first  reactive 
effects  from  the  giving  way  of  the  old  doctrine  of  ver- 
bal inspiration,  carrying  back  men  like  Newman  and 
Manning  into  the  bosom  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church. 

On  the  other  hand,  what  Neander  calls  "  an  appetite 
for  novelty,"  has  carried  others  into  extremes  far  more 
startling  to  many  excellent  Christians.  The  learned 
and  candid  Professor  Maurice,  and  F.  W.  Newman  led 
off  in  this  direction.  A  man  being  arrested  for  preach- 
ing infidelity  in  England,  was  able  to  plead  in  reply, 
that  he  was  only  in  the  habit  of  reading  and  expound- 
ing passages  from  the  Essays  and  Reviews,  \vi-itten 
chiefly  by  clergymen  of  the  Church  of  England.*  But 
Bishop  Colenso  goes  so  far  beyond  these  Essayists  as 
for  a  moment  to  produce  a  great  scandal  even  in  their 
eyes,  by  devoting  much  ink  to  prove  a  series  of  nega- 
tives, such  as,  that  Moses  was  not  the  author  of  the 
Pentateuch,  and  that  it  is  not  contemporary  history. 
From  efforts  like  these,  there  arises  a  new  school  of 
clergymen  whose  lives  and  whose  sermons  would  do 
honor  to  any  age  of  the  Church,  embracing  such  men 
as  F.  W.  Robertson,  of  Brighton,  and  Dean  Stanley. 
Even  the  "  Aids  to  Faith j'^  written  as  a  reply  to  the 
Essays  and  Reviews  by  the  most  conservative  Church- 


22  F.    W.    ROBERTSON. 

men,  and  for  getting  out  which,  the  chief  mover  was 
made  a  Bishop,  admits  that  in  matters  of  science  and 
history  at  least,  it  is  not  necessary  to  believe  that 
infallibility  is  involved  in  Inspiration,  but  that  on  such 
points,  good  men  may  safely  agree  to  differ.* 

"  The  Inspiration  of  the  Bible,"  says  F.  W.  Robert- 
son, "  is  a  large  subject.  I  hold  it  to  be  inspired,  not 
dictated.  It  is  the  word  of  God,  —  the  words  of  man ; 
—  as  the  former,  perfect,  as  the  latter,  imperfect.  God 
the  Spirit  as  a  sanctifier,  does  not  produce  absolute 
perfection  of  human  character.  God  the  Spirit  as  an 
Inspirer,  does  not  produce  absolute  perfection  of  human 
knowledge.  Men  of  science  smile  at  the  futile  attempts 
to  reconcile  Moses  and  geology.  I  give  up  the  attempt 
at  once,  and  say,  the  inspiration  of  the  Bible  remains 
intact  for  all  that.  I  look  upon  Bibliolatry  with  quite 
as  much  dislilvc  as  Arnold  did,  as  pernicious,  danger- 
ous to  true  views  of  God  and  his  revelation  to  the  hu- 
man race,  and  the  cause  of  much  bitter  Protestant 
Popery.  I  believe  Bibliolatiy  to  be  as  s^uperstitious, 
as  false,  and  almost  as  dangerous  as  Romanism." 

Dean  Stanley  in  his  last  published  volume  of  the 
History  of  the  Jewish  Church,  has  contrived  to  say 
almost  all  that  has  made  Bishop  Colenso  so  conspicu- 
ous, but  in  so  Christian  and  fair  a  spirit  of  buUding  up 
the  true  views  of  Scripture,  rather  than  merely  attack- 

*  Essay  7,  Sec.  22. 


DEAN  Stanley's  view.  23 

ing  the  erroneous,  that  few  would  feel  their  faith 
seriously  ruffled  by  his  mode  of  questioning  the  Mosaic 
authorship  of  the  Pentateuch. 

"  One  of  the  most  strildng  differences  between  the  ex- 
isting differences  of  the  Jewish  people  and  those  of 
Greece  and  Rome  is  their  anonymous  character. 
"Whereas  the  Classical  historians,  almost  without 
exception,  claim  their  books  for  themselves,  the 
Sacred  historians,  almost  without  exception,  leave 
their  names  undisclosed.  For  a  long  time  this  was 
unperceived,  owing  to  the  groundless  assumption 
that  the  subject  of  a  book  must  necessarily  be  the  au- 
thor of  it ;  and  that  therefore  Moses,  Joshua,  Samuel 
and  Job,  must  have  written  the  books  which  bear  their 
names,  even  though  their  own  deaths  are  recorded 
therein.  This  mode  of  argument  was  confined  to 
Sacred  criticism.  It  was  never  imagined,  in  classical 
literature,  that  the  Odyssey  was  \\Titten  by  Ulysses,  or 
the  ^neid  by  ^neas.  It  is  now  generally  abandoned 
in  regard  to  sacred  literature  also,  and  the  singular  self- 
abnegation  of  the  Sacred  historians  has  proportionally 
been  brought  into  light.  A  more  delicate  question  is 
opened  by  the  discovery,  not  only  that  many  of  the  Sa- 
cred books  have  no  known  author,  but  that  in  single 
books  different  elements  from  various  sources  are  com- 
bined. This  detection  of  the  composite  nature  of  the 
Hebrew  writings,  though  sometimes  pushed  to  excess 


24  DR.   HANNA. 

t 

by  the  German  critics,  is  nevertheless  one  of  the  most 

interesting  and  certain  results  of  their  labors.  The 
telescope  of  scholarship  has  resolved  what  before  were 
dim  nebulous  clusters,  into  their  separate  distinct  stars ; 
and  there  are  very  few  of  the  books  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment which  have  not  received  additional  light  from  this 
restorative  process.  Almost  all  the  historical  writings 
partake  of  this  complex  character.  The  Pentateuch  in 
the  earlier  period,  the  books  of  Samuel,  Kings,  Chroni- 
cles, and  Ezra  in  the  latter  period,  are  now  universally 
acknowledged,  in  their  present  state,  to  be  the  work  of 
several  hands." 

It  is  not  only  in  the  Established  Church  of  England 
that  matters  are  taking  this  turn.  In  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Scotland,  Dr.  Hanna,  formerly  the  able 
editor  of  the  North  British  Review  and  the  son-in;law 
of  Dr.  Chalmers,  the  leader  of  the  Evangelical  move- 
ment of  fifty  years  ago,  had  to  resign  his  position 
because  his  writings  were  so  variant  from  the  former 
theories  of  Inspiration.  Peter  Bayne  has  also  had  to 
give  up  the  Editorship  of  the  London  and  Edinburg 
Weekly  Review  for  a  similar  reason.  Among  the 
English  Dissenters,  Morell's  Pliilosophy  of  Religion, 
the  later  writings  of  Dr.  Pye  Smith,  and  those  of  Dr. 
Davidson  have  distinctly  avowed  that  the  old  views 
are  untenable,  and  the  last  named  of  these  gentlemen 
has  resigned  his  Professorship  an  account  of  his  teach- 


RECENT   CONGREGATIONAL   CONFESSION.  25 

ings  of  this  character.  Henry  Ward  Beecher  boldly 
avows  very  broad  views  on  this  subject  in  the 
Plymouth  Church,  and  the  most  recent  confession  of 
faith  has  been  wisely  left  of  breadth  convenient  for  the 
reception  of  those  entertaining  such  opinions  in  the 
Congregational  Church. 

While  on  the  one  hand,  faith  in  the  verbal  views 
of  Inspiration  seems  to  be  dying  out  among  all 
thoroughly  educated  men,  even  of  the  warmest  piety, 
there  appears  to  be  no  great  or  marked  change  in  the 
tone  and  style  of  preaching  in  the  great  masses  of  the 
Churches,  and  congregations  either  in  this  country,  or 
yet  of  England.  Rev.  Mr.  Spurgeon,  who  adheres  to 
the  old  Evangelical  view,  is  as  popular  as  ever  in 
London,  and  the  great  bulk  of  the  preachers  of  all 
denominations,  say  little,  even  when  they  think  much 
on  this  subject. 

When  a  mighty  river  has  been  frozen  over,  through 
the  long,  dark  winter,  and  the  thick,  ribbed  ice  under  the 
influence  of  the  sun  of  returning  spring  is .  honey 
combed,  and  beginning  to  wear  through  the  old  beaten 
tracks,  it  may  appear  strong  enough  to  the  solitary  and 
superficial  foot  passenger  and  much  the  same  as  ever. 
And  yet  the  experienced  traveller  sees  that  the  whole 
mass  is  loosening  from  the  shores,  and  just  ready  to 
break   up,  drift  to  sea,  and  leave  a  living,  navigable 

stream,  over  which  commerce  shall  spread  its  wings, 

2 


26  THEOLOGICAL    WINTER    BREAKING    UP. 

and  navies  float  and  streamers  fly.  So  is  there  at  this 
moment  in  the  Theological  world,  notwithstanding  all 
the  smoothness  with  which  old  forms  are  preserved, 
every  precursive  sign  to  an  experienced  eye,  of  a 
breaking  up  of  ancient  creeds  and  party  ties.  This 
change  will  prove  destructive  to  such  as  can  only 
superficially  glide  over  the  icy  surfaces  of  form,  though 
one  which  will  open  up  treasures  from  the  deep,  oceans 
of  divine  truth  and  love  for  those  prepared  to  navigate 
through  waves,  where  others  have  been  wont  to  slip 
along  upon  a  skate. 

The  Theological  dangers  of  our  time,  therefore,  are 
not  those  of  a  coming  winter,  but  of  an  opening 
spring.  They  are  the  dangers  of  men  not  reading  the 
signs  of  the  times,  and  lingering  on  the  floating  ice, 
and  being  carried  out  to  sea,  drifting  they  know  not 
whither,  because  fancying  they  arc  safe  on  the  beaten 
track  of  some  venerable  creed,  as  old  at  least  as  the 
Reformation.  But  the  result  is  that  they  are  thrown 
into  opposition  to  the  most  living,  earnest,  and  pro- 
gressive men  of  the  times,  and  a  shockingly  large  part 
of  the  preaching  of  the  present  day  is  taken  up,  not  as 
was  that  of  our  fathers,  with  simple,  earnest,  living 
views  of  spiritual  truths,  elevating  the  soul,  and  thus 
purifying  the  life  and  deportment,  but  in  trying  to 
make  the  old  track  still  answer,  or  in  cutting  a  fresh 
one  as  close  by  the  side  of  it  as  possible  on  a  sheet  of 


DEADNESS    IN   THE   PULPIT.  27 

ice  floating  out  to  sea.  Thus  we  hear  unscientific 
replies  to  scientific  difficulties,  and  witness  the  useless 
combat  with  objections.  It  is  like  a  battle  of  ship- 
wrecked sailors  with  enraged  seals  that  rise  up  hydra- 
headed  on  every  side,  or  an  iceberg,  where  all  are 
drifting  together  further  and  further  from  the  solid 
shore. 

This  is  the  true  cause  of  that  deadness  so  much 
complained  of  in  the  pulpit.  Intelligent  Christians  of 
the  most  earnest  piety,  both  young  and  old,  complain 
that  they  cannot  find  food  in  the  sermons ;  that 
educated  preachers  seem  to  lack  the  warmth  of  former 
years,  or  that  the  spiritual  life  of  a  Clmreh  is  found,  if 
at  all,  in  the  prayer  meeting.  The  style  of  preaching 
is  borrowed  too  often  from  the  Theological  Education, 
one  half  and  more  of  which  in  many  of  our  Divinity 
Schools,  is  taken  up  in  meeting  or  anticipating  the 
suppositions  objections  of  infidels,  objections  not 
against  Christianity  in  any  of  its  essential  features, 
but  against  modern  ideas  and  statements  of  plenary 
verbal  Inspiration,  remote  questions  of  chronology  or 
geology  or  history  or  criticism.  These  discussions 
indeed  exercise  great  learning,  great  ingenuity,  research 
and  dialectic  skill,  and  are  so  far  perhaps  useful.  But, 
not  exercising  these  on  the  spiritual  truths  that  bring 
God  and  the  soul  together,  they  become  utterly  useless 
as  the  food  of  hungry  Christian  men,  or  for  the  devel- 


28  DISINGENUOUS    HABITS. 

opment  of  moral  and  religious  power  in  the  churches. 
And  exercising  this  ingenuity  sometimes  in  subtile  and 
tricky  evasions  and  dishonest  conclusions,  they  beget 
a  disingenuous  habit  arising  out  of  the  exigencies  of 
supporting  an  exploded  theory.  All  the  pernicious 
effects  of  this,  experience  shows  to  be  growing  up 
amongst  us,  so  that  as  -such  ministers  become  more 
orthodox,  they  become  less  true  and  simple,  less  sin- 
cere and  honorable  as  men  of  God. 

About  twenty  yeai's  ago,  a  pastor  commenced  a 
course  of  lectures  on  the  Evidences  of  Christianity. 
They  were  fresh  and  living,  because  drawn  from  the 
truths  that  had  convinced  and  moved  his  own  heart. 
He  dwelt  on  the  marks  of  authenticity  and  credibility, 
external  and  internal,  in  St.  Paul's  Epistles  and  life,  — 
on  the  Divine  humanity  stamped  on  the  character  of 
Christ,  the  Divine  authority  of  Christianity  as  a  sys- 
tem, and  there  he  stopped,  not  feeling  quite  clear  as  to 
many  of  the  common  views  on  Inspiration.  A  lawyer 
who  attended  the  course,  and  had  been  much  inter- 
ested, expressed  a  desire  to  hear  the  pastor's  views  on 
that  subject.  Fearing  to  concede  too  much,  and  his 
own  mind  being  in  doubt  and  obscurity,  there  was  a 
confusedness  in  his  dealing  with  the  theme,  which 
more  than  undid  all  that  his  former  lectures  had  done. 
The  lawyer  abandoned  the  church,  and  the  minister 
travelled  and  studied  for  six  months,  until  this  at  least 


HIGHER   FAITH    IN-  CHRISTIANITY.  29 

became  clear  to  him,  —  that  he  would  no  more  preach 
dogmas  taken  merely  from  theological  education,  but 
from  what  had  become  obvious  to  his  own  living  con- 
sciousness and  experience  of  Christian  truth.  In  doing 
this,  he  by  no  means  rejected  or  taught  others  ta  reject 
all  that  his  or  their  experience  might  not  yet  have 
taught  them.  But  he  dwelt  chiefly  on  those  truths  of 
religion  to  which  he  could  be  a  witness  from  having 
felt  their  certainty  ;  while  all  beyond  that,  he  spoke  of 
as  the  opinions  of  Christians,  or  of  the  church,  or  as 
resting  on  the  authority  of  Scripture.  Thus  many  of 
the  dogmatic  phrases  of  other  generations  died  out 
from  his  preaching,  and  technical  terms  gave  place  to 
the  language  of  the  present  age  as  it  came  from  his 
heart.  Those  who  loved  the  forms  and  phraseology  of 
a  party  better  than  the  truth  itself,  considered  him 
heterodox  and  unevangelical ;  but  others  listened  to  his 
words,  feeling  his  sincerity,  and  were  converted  or  con- 
firmed in  a  living  faith  in  the  Divine  authority  of 
Christianity,  who  had  not  so  felt  its  power  before. 

There  are  many  preachers  and  more  private  Chris- 
tians who  have  passed  through  a  similar  experience, 
and  come  round  to  this  higher  faith  in  the  Divine 
authority  of  the  Christian  religion,  who  yet,  were  you 
to  ask  them  for  an  explanation  or  proof  of  their  views 
on  Inspiration,  would  have  to  acknowledge  the  mys- 
tery to  them  of  the  whole  subject.     They  see  and  feel 


30  THE   NEW    TESTAMENT   UNIQUE. 

in  the  writings  especially  of  the  New  Testament  a 
mysterious  and  unique  power,  a  something  that  guides 
the  lives  of  those  who  follow  them  in  heart  with  a 
superior  and  unearthy  knowledge  and  wisdom.  With- 
out seeming  to  consult  the  interest  of  any  individual, 
but  making  him  renounce  all  for  Christ,  —  father, 
mother,  houses  and  lands,  —  these  writings  yet  give 
him  back  all  these  and  a  hundred-fold  more  in  the 
present  life.  While  not  directly  inculcating  patriotism, 
and  in  some  cases  opposing  much  that  goes  by  that 
name,  they  enjoin  principles  which  are  the  blessing, 
glory  and  source  of  the  exaltation  of  all  states,  just  in 
proportion  as  the  citizens  walk  according  to  them. 
Indeed,  their  effects  on  nations  are  most  remarkable. 
All  history  seems  to  centre  in  Christianity,  and  the 
present  hopes  and  future  greatness  of  mankind  to  be 
more  dependent  upon  carrying  out  the  principles  of  the 
New  Testament  and  bringing  them  home  to  the 
masses  of  mankind,  than  all  other  things  put  together. 
In  church  history,  these  stand  quite  alone.  The 
writings  of  the  Fathers,  even  the  Apostolic  Fathers, 
nearly  tlie  contemporaries'  of  the  Apostles,  though 
highly  useful  and  written  by  deeply  pious  men,  how 
jejune  and  trifling  are  they  compared  with  the  Epistles 
of  Paul.  The  First  Epistle  of  Clement  indeed  exhibits 
much  of  an  apostolic  spirit,  and  but  for  its  occasional 
defacement,  by  such   stories  as  that  of  the    Phoenix, 


A    WRITTEN   CONSTITUTION.  31 

gravely  told  as  a  fact  and  proof  of  the  resurrection, 
might  be  read  as  a  part  of  Scripture ;  but  who  would 
compare  the  Epistle  of  Barnabas  of  the  first  quarter 
of  the  second  century,  with  one  of  those  by  Paul  in  the 
first  ?  And  who  is  not  shocked  with  the  hierarchical 
and  inflated  tendencies  of  the  so-called  Ignatian  Epis- 
tles ?  And  the  shepherd  of  Hermas,  how  puerile  is  it, 
compared  with  the  sublime  visions  of  the  book  of  Rev- 
elations ! 

It  may  be  safely  said,  that  the  superiority  of  Protes- 
tant nations,  as  a  whole,  over  those  governed  by 
Papacy,  is  entirely  owing  to  the  difference  between  the 
Christianity  of  the  New  Testament  and  that  of  the 
Fathers  as  the  religious  and  intellectual  guide  of  man- 
kind. As  an  eloquent  divine  recently  remarked,  the 
New  Testament  is  to  Christianity  what  a  written  con- 
stitution is  to  civil  government.  It  secures  freedom 
from  tyranny  and  abuse. 

The  probable  effects  of  the  Bible  upon  the  future 
history  of  the  world  suggest  that  it  has  so  far  not  lost 
power,  but  gained  it.  Since  the  year  1800,  it  has 
probably  been  translated  into,  more  languages,  and  cir- 
culated to  the  extent  of  at  least  twelve  times  as  many 
copies,  as  in  the  whole  eighteen  hundred  years  pre- 
ceding. Let  no  man  think  this  a  mere  temporary 
result  of  Bibliolatry;  but  rather  let  all  these  things, 
put  together,  assure  him  of  an  Inspiration  of  some  kind 


32  PUSEYISM   A    REBOUND    FROM    SCEPTICISM. 

belonging  to  this  book,  even  though  no  two.  writers 
should  agree  as  to  the  solution  of  every  difficulty  that 
exists,  or  in  regard  to  the  precise  degree  of  its  influ- 
ence or  the  mode  of  its  communication.  In  fact,  each 
Christian  feels  for  himself  at  times,  an  influence  exerted 
upon  him  by  the  truths  of  Christianity  as  a  system  of 
authority  over  his  conduct,  giving  him  an  Inspiration 
to  a  new  and  better  life,  that  he  knows  and  feels  to  be 
Divine. 

There  are  hundreds,  nay  thousands,  of  most  sincere 
and  highly  educated  young  men  who  know  all  tliis, 
and  yet  cannot  reconcile  their  feelings  with  their  under- 
standings. The  real  efforts  of  most  of  the  various 
modern  schools  of  theology  are  to  reconcile  these. 
Doctors  Newman  and  Pusey,  a  few  years  ago,  at 
Oxford,  rebounding  from  the  temporary  scepticism 
which  the  stu^y  of  German  theology  had  inti'oduced 
into  the  Universities,  returned  to  the  edge  of  Roman 
Catholicism,  and  advocated  an  infallibility  for  the  In- 
spiration of  the  Church,  which  they  failed  to  find  in 
that  of  the  Scriptures.  Tiiis  mistake,  in  spite  of  the 
purity  and  zeal  of  many  who  held  it,  soon  drove  a 
large  number  of  the  more  intelligent  and  honest  stu- 
dents at  Oxford  into  such  a  state  of  doubt,  that  they 
abandoned  studying  for  the  Church  by  wholesale,  and 
entered  other  professions  instead,  and  the  Bishops  had 
to  sanction  theological  schools  for  the  instruction  of 


EDUCATED    YOUNG   MEN.  33 

pious  men,  too  old,  too  poor,  or  too  ignorant  to  pass  a 
Upiversity  examination.  These  went  through  a  rough 
course  of  evangelical  theology,  without  the  doubts  of 
educated  men  and  without  the  ability  to  meet  them, 
and  were  pushed  forward  into  all  offices  of  the  working 
clergy,  to  supply  the  exigencies  of  the  timeg.  The  pro- 
portion of  such  clergy  was  steadily  increasing  in  Eng- 
land a  few  years  ago,  if  indeed  it  has  been  stopped 
even  now  by  the  introduction  of  broader  views  of 
Christian  teaching. 

The  experience,  however,  of  F.  W.  Robertson,  of 
Brighton,  himself  so  earnestly  evangelical  at  first, 
opens  up  a  view  of  his  progress  through  scepticism  to 
a  higher  faith  in  Christianity  and  its  Inspirations,  that 
makes  his  life  well  worth  study ;  because  it  shows  that 
such  views  need  not  end  in  the  individual,  and  will  not 
end  in  the  Church  at  large,  in  producing  a  cold  and 
heartless  indifference,  but,  in  a  new  impulse  of  com- 
manding power,  a  living,  earnest,  glowing  love,  and 
more  extended  usefulness. 

The  great  object  which  has  impelled  the  author  to 
WTite  this  work  has  been  the  hope  of  aiding  young 
men  of  sincere  piety,  brought  up  in  evangelical  faith, 
but  who  are  prevented  from  exerting  their  energies  as 
Christians,  from  that  sort  of  secret  doubt  and  dread 
which  arises  from  a  misconception  of  the  requirements 
of  Christianity,  induced  by  modern  teachings,  as  dis- 


34  GROWTH    OF   BIBLIOLATRY. 

a 

tinct  evon  from  the  ancient  creeds,  and  from  the 
wi-iters  of  the  New  Testament  itself  on  the  subject  pf 
Inspiration.  I  wish  to  show  that  they  can  move  for- 
ward with  a  firm  and  practical  faith  in  Christianity  as 
a  Divinely  authorized  and  inspired  system,  although 
the  human  element  may  be  palpable  in  the  records.  It 
appears  to  me  that  the  time  has  now  anived  to  correct 
a  popular  error  or  superstition  into  which  large  sections 
of  the  Church  have  fallen  more  or  less  profoundly, 
especially  since  the  Reformation,  consisting  of  a  too 
mechanical  and  verbal  view  of  Inspiration.  This  mis- 
take, which  was  clearly  seen  by  many  of  the  most 
intelligent  Protestants  at  the  Reformation,  was  not 
brought  forward  at  the  time,  only  lest  harmony  should 
be  disturbed,  and  the  faith  of  the  masses  needlessly 
distracted.  But  now  that  the  logical  sequences  of  this 
error  have  begun  to  appear,  and  the  masses  of  Chris- 
tians are  better  able  to  study  their  Bibles,  while  many 
divines  esteemed  orthodox  have  become  less  and  less 
studious  of  the  great  fundamental  principles  of  uni- 
versal religion,  it  is  necessary  that  the  error  which  has 
occasioned  this  Bibliolatry,  on  the  one  hand,  and 
neglect  of  even  natural  religion,  on  the  other,  should 
be  corrected,  at  least  so  far  as  the  Christian  ministry 
is  concerned.  Like  all  other  eiTors  of  this  sort,  the 
attempt  to  clear  it  away  will  for  the  moment  arouse 
great  prejudices.     It  will  seem  to  many  as  a  new  form 


CORRECTION  OF  THE  CALENDAR.       35 

of  infidelity,  or  at  least  as  undermining  and  unsettling 
the  foundations  of  the  Christian  faith,  where  it  is  in 
fact  only  uncovering  the  true  foundations,  to  show 
how  much  deeper  and  more  solid  they  are,  and  im- 
bedded in  the  very  being  of  humanity.  And  all  this 
process  will  end  in  putting  faith  in  Christianity  on  a 
firmer  basis,  purifying  our  conceptions  of  it  from  many 
errors,  strengthening  our  faith  in  Christ,  enlarging  our 
charity,  and  building  up  the  universal  Church  instead 
of  pulling  it  down. 

In  1752,  in  order  to  correct  the  Calendar,  which  had 
drifted  into  error,  the  3d  of  September,  old  style,  was 
by  act  of  Parliament  declared  to  be  the  14th,  new  style. 
Even  so  small  and  unimportant  a  change  as  this  of 
twelve  days,  made  to  put  us  really  right  with  an- 
tiquity, and  in  correspondence  with  other  nations,  was 
esteemed  by  many  an  impious  innovation.  It  was 
thought  to  be  unsettling  the  foundation  of  all  our  com- 
putations of  time,  rendering  dates  uncertain,  and  all 
who  adopted  it  guilty  of  falsehood.  Many  made 
adherence  to  the  old  a  point  of  conscience,  and  never 
would  use  it.  Yet  now  it  is  established  universally ; 
no  one  is  deceived,  and  no  evil  has  come  to  the  world. 
Who  would  think  it  proper  to  go  back  to  the  old  style  ? 
We  are  right  with  the  year  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  the 
Caesars  and  of  Christ,  and  an  error  has  been  thus  cor- 
rected. 


36  LUTHER   AND    ERASMUS. 

In  the  same  way,  the  Church  has  innocently  drifted, 
especially  the  Protestant  branch  of  it,  into  a  popular 
misconception  of  the  simple  word  Inspiration.  By 
most,  it  is  considered  to  imply,  in  regard  to  Scripture, 
what  it  certainly  does  not  even  now  in  regard  to  any 
other  utterances  or  writings,  i.  c.  the  idea  of  absolute 
and  theoretic  infallibility.  The  mistake  has  grown  up 
not  unnaturally  from  the  fact  of  their  practical  infal- 
libility for  the  purposes  for  which  they  were  written, 
namely,  that  godly  men  may  be  thoroughly  furnished 
unto  every  good  word  and  work.  When  indeed  we 
have  sought  and  obtained  the  most  perfect  knowledge 
upon  any  subject,  which  lies  within  our  means,  and  the 
time  for  exertion  arrives,  we  have  to  act  on  the  best 
light,  as  if  it  were  infallible.  It  is  so  to  us,  although 
we  may  know  it  is  not  so  absolutely. 

At  the  Reformation,  when  Luther  denounced  the 
infallibility  of  the  Pope,  he  seemed  to  the  masses  of 
the  unreflecting  to  be  attacking  Christianity.  Pious 
people  expected  tlie  birth  of  Antichrist,  and  emperors 
and  princes  the  loosening  of  all  civil  and  social  ties. 
Even  the  learned  Erasmus  stood  aloof,  remarking 
satirically,  that  he  had  no  vocation  for  becoming  a 
martyr.  Yet  the  result  was  the  formation  of  a  new 
school  of  simpler  but  severer  piety,  and  all  the  supe- 
riority of  Protestant  nations  has  sprung  from  the  con- 


FALLIBILITY   AND    INSPIRATION.  37 

test.  Even  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  much 
purified,  and  many  abuses  have  been  ever  since  abated. 
And  now,  at  the  end  of  three  centuries,  a  higher,  purer, 
stronger  Christianity  is  visible  where  that  Reformation 
has  spread.  Even  the  triumphs  of  Prussian  armies 
over  Austrian  may  in  part  illustrate  this  superiority. 

But  the  Protestant  world  must  now  open  its  eyes 
upon  another  Reformation,  and  learn  not  only  that  the 
Church  is  fallible,  but  that  the  Scriptures,  especially  of 
the  Old  Testament,  though  truly  and  properly  to  be 
venerated  as  holy,  inspired  and  sacred  documents  of 
the  Christian  faith,  are  not  therefore  to  be  esteemed, 
especially  in  matters  of  current  opinion,  as  science  and 
history,  absolutely  infallible,  but  as  having  partly  re- 
ceived thcur  color  from  the  ages  in  which  they  were 
produced,  and  from  the  sincere  yet  fallible  opinions  of 
the  holy  men,  moved  by  this  Holy  Ghost,  who  wrote 
them. 

In  fact,  my  object  is  to  show  that  fallibility,  such  as 
this  in  the  sacred  books,  does  not  impair  their  claim  to 
Christian  faith  as  inspired  guides,  but  is  necessary  to 
the  credibility  of  the  whole,  the  Inspiration  of  the 
sacred  writings  being  precisely  equivalent  to  the  Divine 
authority  of  the  Apostles.  For  as  the  latter  did  not  pre- 
vent them  from  falling  into  individual  errors,  or  take 
away  the  need  of  being  corrected  by  that  presence  of 
the   Paraclete,  animating  the  whole  body,  so  the  In- 


38  THE   SPIRIT   OF   THE   WHOLE. 

spiration  resides  not  in  each  passage  alone,  but  rather 
in  the  spirit  of  the  whole  book,  taken  in  connection 
with  the  purposes  for  which  it  was  written,  with  the 
other  sacred  teachings,  and  with  the  principles  of  uni- 
versal religion. 


INSPIRATION.  39 


CHAPTER    I. 


ON  thl:  uses  of  the  term  inspiration. 


THE  term  "  Inspiration "  occurs  but  twice  in  the 
English  Bible,  — Job  32:8,  and  H.  Tim.  3:16; 
and  in  this,  the  English  fairly  represents  the  originals. 
In  the  proper  place,  the  wiiole  Scriptural  doctrine  of 
Inspiration  will  be  examined ;  at  present  we  want 
simply  to  ascertain  the  use  of  the  term.  In  Job  32 : 
7-8,  Elihu,  as  a  young  man,  apologizes  for  speak- 
ing before  his  ciders,  and  says,  "  I  said,  days  should 
speak,  and  multitude  of  years  should  teach  wisdom, 
but  there  is  a  spirit  in  man,  and  the  inspiration  of  the 
Almighty  giveth  them   understanding."*     The  mean- 

*  The  Hfbrew  word  iTCT^S  means  literally  breath,  and  is  so  transla- 
ted in  the  almost  parallel  passage,  Job  33-4.  In  the  Septuagint,  we 
have  in  both  of  these  cases  Trvevfia  corresponding  to  spirit,  and  ttuo/] 
answering  to  "  inspiration"  or  "  breath."  "  irvori  conveys  the  impres- 
sion of  a  lighter  gentler  breath  of  air  than  iruevfia^  says  Trench,  (Sy- 


40  JOB  32:  8. 

ing  of  the  passage  would  seem  to  be,  that  while  age 
and  experience  give  one  kind  of  wisdom,  there  are  also 
other  sources  of  knowledge ;  there  is  an  abiding  pres- 
ence of  the  Divine  spii'it  in  the  soul  of  man,  which 
teaches,  and  there  are  Divine  impulses  or  breathings 
from  the  Almighty,  which  inspire  suitable  thoughts. 
On  this  account  he  will  show  his  opinion.  In  all  this, 
Elihu,  while  recognizing,  with  Plato,  abiding  Divine 
intuitions,  as  one  source  of  knowledge,  and  with 
Socrates,  special  Divine  inspirations  as  another,  never 
dreamed  of  claiming  infallibilitij  for  his  utterances  ;  or 
if  we  should  say  he  did,  it  must  at  least  be  owned, 
that  in  making  this  claim  he  was  mistaken.  All  he 
asserts  is,  that  there  are  certain  Divine  in-breathings 
from  the  Almighty,  for  which  our  English  word  iti- 
spiration  (from  in  and  spiro^  to  breathe)  has  become 
the  natural  and  proper  representative. 

The  other  passage,  —  II.  Tim.  3:  IG,  —  reads  in  our 
English  version,  "  All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspira- 
tion of  God  {deo7rvevaTO<i),  and  is  profitable  for  doc- 
trine, for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in 
righteousness."  Dr.  Pye  Smith,  in  company  with  the 
Douay  and  almost  all  the  ancient  versions,  translates 
thus  the  15th  and  16th  verses :  "  From  a  child,  thou 
hast  known  the  holy  writings,  which  are  able  to  make 

non  New  Test.  Tart  2,  Sec.  23,)  following  in  this  Scucca  and  Augustine. 
It  is  perhaps  more  occasional  and  less  abiding. 


II  TIM.  3 :  16.  41 

thee  wise  unto  salvation,  through  the  faith  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.  Every  writing  Divinely  inspired  is  also 
profitable  for  instruction,"  &c.  That  this  is  the 
proper  translation,  will  be  shown  below.* 

*  His  remarks  on  this  much  disputed  text,  appear  to  me  so  conclu- 
sive, that  little  more  can  be  said  after  quoting  them.  "  It  has  been 
supposed  impossible  to  establish  from  the  Greek  text  alone,  so  as  to  pre- 
clude objection  on  either  side  of  the  agitated  question  whether  Gioweva- 
Tos  agrees  immediately  with  ttoo-o  7/)a<jbrj  or  is  as  it  is  translated  in  the 
common  version  and  in  many  others,  a  part  of  the  predicate.  Yet  I 
cannot  but  think  the  fairest  way  of  rendering  iraa-a  ypa(pv  is  every  tvrit- 
iuij,  so  that  the  adjective  is  necessary  to  quahfy  the  term,  and  must 
therefore  be  its  attributive.  This  is  clearly  included  in  the  rule  laid 
down  by  Middlcton  (On  the  Greek  Article  Part  I,  Chap.  7,)  though  the 
good  Bishop  seems  to  shrink  from  the  application  in  his  Note  to  this 
text.  Every  one  acquainted  with  the  Greek  idioms  in  the  use  of  nai 
is  aware  that  to  convey  the  meaning  of  all  Scripture,  as  we  use  the 
phrase  in  English,  would  have  required  ira<ra  ri  ypacpri.  The  form  with- 
out the  article  used  here  by  the  Apostle,  necessitates  our  taking  the  sub- 
stantive in  its  most  universal  signification,  and  consequently  that  the 
adjective  annexed  must  be  a  qualifying  or  distinguishing  epithet.  The 
cxegetical  use  of  ko«  in  the  sense  of  even  and  also,  is  very  frequent.  I. 
Cor.  2 :  24.  II.  Cor.  1 :  3.  Eph.  5 :  10.  Acts  3  :  24.  Heb.  4  :  13. 
Gal.  4 :  7.  The  Syriac,  the  Vulgate,  nearly  if  not  all  the  ancient  ver- 
sions, and  most  of  the  Fathers,  Origen  six  or  seven  times  over,  Cle- 
ment of  Alexandria,  Theodoret,  and  others,  thus  interpreted  this 
passage.  (See  Smith  on  the  person  of  the  Messiah,  Book  I,  Chap.  2, 
notes.)  When  however,  we  come  down  to  tlie  times  of  Luther,  Beza, 
and  the  Protestant  translators,  the  text  seems  to  have  been  regarded  as 
too  important  theologically  against  the  Catholics,  not  to  have  been 
pressed  into  service  in  the  translation,  although  Wyckliffc,  Tyndall, 
and  the  Bible  of  1561,  had  rendered  it  like  the  earlier  versions.    The 


42  THE   TRUE  TRANSLATION. 

Do   these   two   passages,   then,  properly  translated, 
decide  that  the  terms  "  inspiration,"  or  "  given  by  in- 

use  of  the  /cat  alone  leaves  the  slightest  doubt.  Do  Wette  in  his  last 
revision  adopts  the  present  English  translation.  So  does  Gausscn.  The 
former  of  these  goes  further,  and  asserts  that  no  matter  which  transla- 
tion we  adopt,  it  all  amounts  to  the  same  thing.  To  us  the  matter 
seems  different.  Of  course  this  passage  refers  entirely  and  exclusively 
to  the  Jewish  Scriptures.  To  say  that  all  the  sacred  writings  are  The- 
opneustic  or  God-inspired  is  one  thing,  to  say  that  all  Theopneustic  or 
God-inspired  writings  are  profitable  is  quite  another.  It  gives  us  a 
clue  and  a  safeguard  as  to  what  is  to  be  the  proof  of  Inspiration,  —  an 
internal  sense  of  profitableness  as  well  as  external  evidence.  The  im- 
portance of  all  this  to  Timothy  is  easily  made  clear.  He  Avas  the  son 
of  a  Jewish  mother,  by  a  Greek  father,  brought  up  probably  out  of  the 
range  and  influence  of  the  Palestine  Jews,  he  had  never  been  circum- 
cised imtil  Paul  met  him,  and  was  probably  therefore  only  acquainted 
with  the  Alexandrian  or  Greek  version,  which  contained  the  Apocrypha 
mixed  up  with  the  Old  Testament.  It  is  true  the  Hellenistic  Jews  like 
Josephus  and  Philo,  who  visited  the  Palestine  Jews,  did  not  fully  admit 
these  as  a  part  of  the  Canon.  De  Wette,  quoting  Berthold  says  :  "  It 
is  certain  that  the  Egyptian  Jews  never  considered  the  Apocryphal 
books  as  a  jiart  of  the  Canon,  properly  so  called,  but  it  is  equally  cer- 
tain they  regarded  aud  used  them  as  an  appendix  to  the  Old  Testament 
before  the  time  of  Christ.  They  were  read  as  valuable,  religious  and 
moral  writings,  and  were  neither  placed  in  the  Canon,  nor  treated  as 
common  books.  They  were  deemed  holy  but*  not  perfectly  holy,  and 
60  placed  beside  the  Canon,  not  in  it,  as  until  the  time  of  Antiochus  the 
Hebrew  Ilagaiographa  had  been.  The  ancient  Christians  who  were 
not  acquainted  with  the  Hebrew,  and  therefore  were  dependent  on  the 
Egyptian  Jews  for  their  knowledge  of  the  Scriptmcs,  considered  all 
books  of  the  Alexandrian  Codex  us  genuine  aud  sacred,  and  accordingly 
very  soon  made  the  same  use  of  the  Apocrypha  and  the  Old  Testament. 


PROFITABLENESS    THE   TEST    OF   INSPIRATION.  43 

spiration  of  God,"  necessarily  include  absolute  and 
verbal  infallibility  ?  or  is  it  not  at  least  an  open  ques- 
tion, whether  the  man  inspired  of  God  is  not  yet  a 
man,  giving  his  own  characteristics  to  the  writings, 
and  a  human  element  that  is  more  or  less  fallible  ? 
The  Church,  whose  history  as  a  whole  is  that  of  an 
inspired  body,  is  yet  also  one  whose  frailty  in  all  its 
individual  parts  is  obvious. 

But  this  practice  was  founded  on  a  mistake,  for  the  Alexandrine  Jews 
themselves  never  viewed  these  writings  in  that  light."  Nor  did  the  bet- 
ter informed  of  the  Cliristian  Fathers  always.  The  Apostle  Paul  used 
both  the  Hebrew  and  the  Alexandrine  Versions,  and  neither  he  nor  any 
other  New  Testament  writer  ever  quotes  the  Apocrypha.  To  a  Greek 
Jewish  Christian  like  Timothy,  St.  Paul  never  could  have  intended  to 
say  that  every  Avriting  was  God-inspired  and  profitable,  that  was  found 
in  the  Greek  copies  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures  as  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  sec  them.  Yet  nothing  is  more  consistent,  than  that  St.  Paul 
wishing  to  warn  him  against  the  old  wives'  fables  of  the  Apocryphal 
writings,  mixed  up  with,  and  added  to  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  reading,  while  yet  encouraging  the  study  of  the 
valuable  and  divine  portions  of  them  ;  should  say,  "  every  divinely 
inspired  writing  is  also  profitable,"  &c.  This  we  in  common  with  nearly 
all  antiquity  (where  nothing  speciail  was  to  be  attained  from  the  other 
view)  may  take  to  be  the  sense  of  this  passage.  AVe  arc  not  here  however 
discussing  the  question,  what  are  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament  Ca- 
non, or  whether  the  Apocrypha  was  included  in  it  or  not  by  any  por- 
tion of  the  Alexandrine  school,  indeed  we  regard  it  as  certain  tliat  if 
any  did  so,  these  words  of  St.  Paul  would  afford  a  proof  that  he  repro- 
bated such  an  idea  ;  but  Dr.  Pye  Smith's  interpretation  gives  the  true 
rendering  as  Coleridge  further  agrees  in  his  Confessions  of  an  Inquiring 
Spirit,  Letter  6. 


44  DRS.    LEE  AND    ARNOLD. 

11.  The  Lectures  of  Dr.  William  Lee,  of  Dublin, 
written  to  show  the  actual  and  absolute  infallibility  of 
the  Inspiration  of  the  Scriptures,  yet  fully  admit  that 
"  the  term  Inspiration  has  been  assigned  to  that  ordi- 
nary actuation  by  the  Holy  Spirit,"  which  does  not 
render  the  recipient  infallible.  Indeed,  he  complains 
of  Dr.  Arnold,  for  having  continued  to  regard  as  iden- 
tical such  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  with  those 
under  which  Scripture  was  written,  while  he  considers 
them  specifically  different.  In  illustration  of  this,  he 
quotes  from  Dr.  Arnold,  who,  enumerating  certain 
erroneous  inferences  relating  to  Inspiration,  says  that 
it  is  an  unwarranted  interpretation  of  the  term  In- 
spiration, to  call  it  a  communication  of  the  Divine 
perfections.  Surely,  many  of  our  words  and  many  of 
our  actions  proceed  by  the  Inspiration  of  God's  spirit, 
without  whom  we  can  do  nothing  acceptable  to  him. 
Yet,  does  the  Holy  Spirit  so  inspne  us,  that  our  best 
words  or  works  are  utterly  free  from  error  or  from  sin  ? 
All  Inspiration,  then,  does  not  destroy  the  human  and 
fallible  part  in  the  nature  which  it  inspires.  It  does 
not  change  man  into  God.  Dr.  Arnold  is  also  quoted 
as  saying,  "  If  a  single  error  can  be  discovered  in 
Scripture,  it  is  supposed  to  be  fatal  to  the  credibility 
of  the  whole.  This  has  arisen  from  an  unwarranted 
interpretation  of  the  word  '  Inspnation,'  and  by  a  still 
more    unwarranted    inference.     An   inspired   work   is 


A    HUMAN   ELEMENT   ADMITTED.  45 

supposed  to  mean  a  work  to  which  God  has  com- 
municated his  own  perfections,  so  that  the  slightest 
error  or  defect  of  any  kind  in  it  is  inconceivable,  and 
that  which  is  other  than  perfect  in  all  points  cannot  be 
inspired.  This  is  the  unwarranted  interpretation  of 
the  word  Inspiration."  Yet,  even  Dr.  Lee  still  admits 
that  the  Inspiration  of  the  Bible  "  contains  a  human 
as  well  as  a  Divine  element."  He  says,  "  On  the  one 
hand,  God  has  granted  a  revelation;  on  the  other, 
human  language  has  been  made  \he  channel  to  convey 
it,  and  men  have  been  chosen  the  agents  to  record  it." 
On  this  account,  he  disclaims  what  he  terms  "  the 
mechanical  theory "  of  Inspiration,  because  "  it  prac- 
tically ignores  the  human  element  of  the  Bible,  and 
fixes  its  exclusive  attention  upon  the  Divine  agency." 
"  On  its  principles  the  sacred  writers,  on  receiving  the 
Divine  impulse,  resigned  both  body  and  mind  to  God, 
who  influenced  and  guided  both  at  his  sole  pleasure, 
the  human  agent  contributing  meanwhile  no  more 
than  the  pen  of  the  scribe.  In  a  word,  he  was  the  pen, 
and  not  the  penman  of  the  Spirit."  *  This  mechanical 
idea  Dr.  Lee  professedly  repudiates  in  regard  to  the 
Bible,  as  not  accounting  sufficiently  for  difference  of 
style,  &c.  Enough  this  to  show,  then,  that  Inspiration 
does  embrace  a  human  as  weU  as  a  Divine  element. 
But  he  adds,  "  While  I  can  by  no  means  accept  this 
system  as  correct,  it  will  be  my  object  to  establish  in 
*  Lect.  I. 


46  posiTm:  views  of  inspiration. 

the  broadest  extent  all  that  its  advocates  dcsh-e  to  main- 
tain, namely,  the  infallible  certainty,  the  indisputable 
authority,  the  perfect  and  entire  truthfulness  of  all  and 
every  part  of  Holy  Scripture."  How  far  Dr.  Lee  suc- 
ceeds in  doing  this,  we  shall  see  hereafter.  At  present 
it  is  sufficient  to  learn  that  the  idea  of  inspiration  is  not 
necessarily  the  same  as  dictation,  that  it  involves  a  hu- 
man as  well  as  a  divine  element,  so  that  the  common 
prejudice,  which  sets  aside  all  argument,  by  supposing 
that  the  admission  of  Inspiration  precludes  necessarily 
every  sort  of  error,  is  quite  erroneous.  That  idea  may 
be  proved  true,  or  it  may  be  proved  false  in  regard  to 
Holy  Scripture.  But  the  simple  admission  that  any 
writing  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  does  not  deter- 
mine the  fact  that  it  is  therefore  infallible.  Elihu  did 
not  claim  infallibility  if  he  thought  that  the  inspiration 
of  the  Almighty  gave  him  understanding.  Yet  it  is 
here  that  there  is  the  greatest  confusion.  The  idea  is 
that  all  who  doubt  the  absolute  infallibility  of  every 
scientific  or  historical  difficulty,  necessarily  so  far  ques- 
tion the  Inspb-ation  of  the  ^^Titcr,  and  indeed  of  the 
whole  Bible. 

HI.  Inspiration  is  a  positive  and  not  a  negative  term. 
It  asserts  a  fact,  and  not  merely  denies  one.  It  means 
literally  a  breathing  into,  and  indicates  a  spiritual 
power  imparted  or  infused  into  the  mind,  of  a  superior 
and  elevating  character,  above  all  that  belongs  to  tiie 


MILTON    AND    INSPIRATION.  47 

individual  in  his  purely  and  natural  state.  Such  is 
certainly  the  meaning  of  the  term  in  its  ordinary  use, 
apart  from  any  particular  theological  sense.  Thus 
Bacon  speaks  of  "  an  instinct  inspiring  not  only  the 
hearts  of  princes,  but  the  pulse  and  veins  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  leading  them  to  anticipate  the  happiness  to 
ensue  in  time  to  come  from  certain  courses  of 
conduct."  * 

Blair,  also,  speaking  of  the  Christian,  says,  that 
"when  he  looks  up  to  heaven,  he  rejoices  in  the 
thought  that  there  dwells  that  God  whom  he  serves 
and  honors,  that  Saviour  in  whom  he  trusts,  and  that 
spirit  of  grace  from  whose  inspiration  his  piety  and 
charity  flow." 

When  the  poets,  ancient  and  modern,  invoke  the 
inspiration  of  the  muse,  it  is  not  infallibility,  but  eleva- 
tion of  thought  and  heart  they  seek.  Not  the  absence 
of  error,  but  the  presence  of  truth.  Thus  Milton  seeks 
the  inspiration  of  that  Divine  Presence  that  had  filled 
the  soul  of  Moses  under  the  Jewish,  and  been  the 
chief  light  of  the  Christian  dispensation. 

"  Sing,  Heavenly  Muse,  that  on  tbe'secret  top 
Of  Oreb,  or  of  Sinai,  didst  inspire 
That  slicpherd  wlio  first  tauglit  the  chosen  seed. 

****** 

And  chicHy  thou  oh  Spirit  tliat  dost  prefer 
*  Bacon,  Henry  VII. 


48  NOTHING   DESTROYED    BY   INSPIRATION. 

Before  all  temples,  the  upright  heart  and  pure 
Instruct  me,  for  thou  knowcst  *  * 

*  *  *  What  in  me  is  dark 

Illumine,  what  is  low,  raise  and  support, 
That  to  the  heighth  of  tliis  great  argument 
I  may  assert  eternal  Providence 
And  justify  the  ways  of  God  to  man." 

The  negative  view,  the  absence  of  mistake  has 
never  formed  the  chief  thought  in  regard  to  Inspiration 
among  any  class  of  men  except  our  modern  Theolo- 
gians. Positive  expansion,  enlargement  and  elevation 
best  keep  the  soul  of  the  good  man  free  from  error. 

The  proper  conception  of  the  inspiring  spirit,  is  not 
that  it  destroys  the  true  man,  or  any  of  his  powers,  or 
individualities,  so  far  as  they  do  not  destroy  it  within 
him.  It  may,  indeed,  be  said  that  by  so  much  as  man 
is  a  sinner,  is  he  less  than  a  man,  and  he  is  only 
wholly  a  man,  inasmuch  as  wholly  possessed  of  the 
spirit.  By  so  much  as  any  man  is  a  Christian,  is  he 
an  inspired  man,  and  this  was  the  doctrine  fully  held 
and  felt  in  the  early  Church,  as  might  be  easily  illus- 
trated from  the  prayers  accompanying  the  laying  on  of 
hands  in  the  Apostolic  Constitutions,  and  the  titles 
given  to  the  newly  baptized  in  early  Church  history. 
Every  Christian  was,  indeed,  taught  so  to  consider 
himself.  "  The  Holy  Ghost  gives  us  the  gift  of  spirit- 
ual wisdom,  by  which  we  are  illuminated,  edified, 
instructed,   and   consummated   to   perfection.     This  is 


INSPIRATION   POSITIVE.  49 

the  account  which  the  ancients  generally  give  of  the 
original  of  the  laying  on  of  hands,"  says  Bingham.* 
Inspiration  is,  so  far  as  it  goes,  the  restoration  of  man's 
normal  state,  the  realization  of  man's  destined  condi- 
tion. The  Inspiring  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  so 
much  to  destroy,  as  to  elicit  into  distinct  manifestation, 
and  to  quicken  the  individual 'powers  of  the  inspired 
one,  causing  him  to  outgrow  the  wrong  uses  of 
them  by  putting  them  all  into  employment  in  a  full 
and  sanctified  use.  And  this  is  the  true  and  positive 
view  of  the  Inspiration  of  the  Holy  writings  as  well  as 
that  of  holy  persons.  Have  not  the  liturgies  of  all 
ages  besought  the  Lord  to  inspue  within  the  souls  of 
his  servants,  all  good  thoughts  and  holy  desires  ?  In 
most  Communions,  each  Christian  Minister  in  some 
set  form,  declares  that  he  believes  himself  inwardly 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  enter  the  office  of  his 
Ministry.  Doos  the  term  inspire^  so  far  as  it  is  used  in 
these  cases,  refer  to  a  negalive  or  not  rather  a  positive 
impulse?  Is  the  idea  one  of  absolute  sinlessness,  or 
of  inward  living  energy,  pressing  towards  a  higher, 
nobler  life,  yet  not  ensuring  the  absence  of  all 
imperfection  ? 

Why,  then,  should  these  proportions  of  thought  be 
all  inverted,  or  rather  altogether  changed  by  most, 
when  they  speak  of  the  God  inspired  Scriptures  of  the 

*  Book  XII,  Chap.  4,  Sec.  6. 
3 


50  MR.  morell's  theory. 

old  and  new  Testament.  Whether  the  Inspiration  of 
Scripture  implies  a  total  exemption  from  every  kind  of 
fallibility,  or  whether  this  is  simply  a  Pharisaic  incrus- 
tation of  superstition  which  the  Christian  Church  has 
not  yet  altogether  risen  above,  we  will  consider  here- 
after. But  assuredly  this  is  not  the  cliief  or  positive 
idea  in  regard  to  it.  The  Inspiration  of  Scripture  is  a 
divine  inbreathing  and  animating  power  resting  upon 
its  authors,  human  beings  as  they"  were,  so  that  holy 
men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

IV.  Mr.  Morell  in  his  philosophy  of  religion,  con- 
siders that  it  is  the  intuitioncd  consciousness,  as  distinct 
from  the  sensational,  the  perceptive,  and  the  logical 
powers  of  our  nature,  that  alone  is  susceptible  of 
religious  inspirations  or  impressions.  Yet  it  seems  to 
me  that  the  elevation  of  any  one  part  of  our  spiritual 
nature  elevates  the  whole,  and  that  when  God  gives  to 
a  man  that  is  good  in  his  sight,  that  intuitive  spiritual 
wisdom,  which  is  true  inspiration,  it  quickens  in  turn, 
any  and  all  the  perceptive,  the  reasoning,  and  even  at 
times  the  sensational  powers,  swy^er-naturally,  that  is 
not  in  a  manner  contrary  to  nature,  not  perhaps  what 
would  be  commonly  called  miraculously,  but  to  a 
degree  above  what  is  natural  through  any  other 
agency.  The  mathematical  genius  of  a  Newton  may 
be  termed  an  inspiration ;  the  elevation  of  a  Milton  in 


INSPIRATION   SUPER-NATURAL.  51 

his  poetry,  as  well  as  that  of  a  Bazalecl*  to  design 
and  work  in  brass  for  the  service  of  the  temple.  Did 
not  Pericles  and  the  most  eloquent  of  ancient  orators 
pray  for  inspiration  in  their  speeches,  and  have  not 
the  supremely  wise  and  good  of  all  ages  sought  for  it 
in  their  daily  work,  and  found  therein  a  new  and  orig- 
inal wisdom  leading  to  the  loftiest  success  ?  Much  of 
this  is,  indeed,  of  a  dilFerent  kind  from  simply  religious 
inspiration,  even  where  originating  in  it.  But  who 
shall  say  that  all  kinds  of  inspiration,  that  of  poetry 
and  of  the  reasoning  powers,  have  not  contributed 
their  quota  to  make  our  Bibles  fit  to  furnish  all  men  so 
thoroughly  to  every  good  word  and  work  ?  Nothing 
has  ever  kindled  the  abstract  reasoning  powers,  as 
religion  has  done,  and  supplied  that  patience  of  exact, 
clear  and  earnest  thinking,  coupled  with  correctness  of 
feeling  of  which  the  Bible  is  so  full.  And  is  not  the 
influence  reciprocal  ? 

The  elevation  of  the  Scriptures  as  a  whole,  is  of 
course  of  a  higher  and  nobler  kind  than  the  mere  inspi- 
ration of  genius,  as  it  is  also  higher  in  degree,  though 
not  different  in  kiiid^  as  I  apprehend  from  that  of  the 
Christian,  when  inwardly  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
consecrate  himself  as  a  Minister  or  IMissionary  or 
translator  of  the  Bible  for  the  heathen.  It  is,  therefore, 
more  truly  S2//?er-natural,  although  the  Cliurch  of  God 
*  Exodus  3G :  1-2. 


62  A   MODERN   INVENTION. 

is  now  and  ever  sliall  be  instinct  with  spiritual  life,  a 
holy  and  a  truly  inspired  body.  This  is  promised  to  it 
by  the  master,  aud  asserted  of  it  by  the  Apostles.  The 
distinction  between  the  authority  and  inspiration  of  the 
living  Apostle  in  his  teachings,  and  the  deceased  Apos- 
tle in  his  writings,  a  distinction  drawn  in  favor  of  the 
latter,  is  wholly  an  invention,  a  sort  of  canonization  of 
saints  after  their  departure,  which  they  strenously  re- 
sisted while  living,  and  which  has  been  only  paralleled 
by  some  of  the  superstitions  of  the  Romish  Church. 


MODERN   VIEWS   CLASSIFIED.  53 


CHAPTER    II. 

MODERN  VIEWS  OF  INSPIRATION  STATED  AND    CLASSIFIED. 

BEFORE  proceeding  to  settle  what  that  view  of 
the  Inspiration  of  the  Bible  is,  which  will  best 
meet  all  the  facts  of  the  case,  or  even  to  give  an  his- 
torical development  of  present  opinions  on  this  subject, 
it  is  proposed  in  this  chapter  to  present  a  simple  state- 
ment of  what  are  the  chief  and  distinct  opinions  now 
held  by  Christians  of  different  denominations  and 
schools  in  this  country,  and  in  Europe,  classified  not 
historically,  but  according  to  their  natural  affinities  and 
resemblances. 

Dr.  Lee  of  Dublin,  in  his  profound  lectures  on 
Inspiration,  very  properly  suggests  that  such  views 
should  be  classified  according  to  the  two  leading  sys- 
tems in  this  department  of  theology,  the  one  suggested 
by  the  prominence  assigned  to  the  Divine  element,  the 
other    resulting    from    the    weight    attached    to    the 


54  MODERN   VIEWS   CLASSIFIED. 

Human.*  The  former,  so  far  as  it  alone  is  followed, 
makes  every  thing  of  Authoritij,  the  latter  of  Reason. 
The  former  unchecked  tends  towards  blind  superstition, 
the  latter  alone,  to  Rationalism.  The  one  makes 
Inspiration  entirely  Objective,  the  other  Subjective.-)" 

I.  There  is  one  class  of  views  on  Inspiration  now 
current,  which  takes  into  account  the  Divine  element, 
but  ignores  practically  the  Human.  We  include  here, 
not  alone  as  Dr.  Lee  does,  what  he  calls  the  mechani- 
cal theory  of  plenary  verbal  Inspiration,  but  also  what 
he  distinguishes  from  it,  as  the  Dynamical  ;  in  fact,  all 
that  make  the  Divine  element  so  overpowering  as  to 
leave  no  room  for  human  frailty  or  errors  \io  creep  in, 
and  no  work  for  human  reason  to  perform,  when  it 
once  understands  the  meaning  of  the  writing.  We 
include  in  a  word,  those  systems  which  profess  to 
establish  an  infallible  scheme  of  religion  by  means  of 
the  words  of  the  Bible. 

1.  The  Roman  Catholic  system,  though  extremely 
variant  in  proportion  as  the  authority  of  the  Council 
of  Trent  is  or  is  not  regarded  as  of  binding  authority, 
amounts  to  this :  that  without  distinctly  asserting  or 
denying  the  absolute  infallibility  of  the  Scriptures 
alone,  %  it  supposes  the  Church  an  infallible  interpreter 
of  Scripture,  without  which  the  Bible  is  a  sort  of  lock 

*  Lect.  I,  p.  82-3.  j  Wescott's  Introduction,  p.  31-2. 

X  Sec  Mochler's  Symbolism,  Sec.  38. 


ROMAN   CATHOLIC    VIEW.  55 

without  a  key,  but  with  which  the  whole  possesses 
infallibility.  Thus  in  the  Douay  Bible,  after  transla- 
ting II  Tim.  3:  16.  "  All  Scripture  inspired  of  God 
is  profitable  to  teach,  to  reprove,"  &c. ;  a  note  adds, 
"  Every  part  of  Divine  Scripture  is  certainly  profitable 
for  all  these  ends.  But  if  we  would  have  the  whole 
rule  of  Christian  faith  and  practice,  we  must  not  con- 
tent ourselves  with  those  Scriptures  which  Timothy 
knew  from  his  infancy,  that  is  the  Old  Testament 
alone ;  nor  yet  with  tlie  New  Testament,  without 
taking  along  with  it  the  traditions  of  the  Apostles,  and 
the  interpretation  of  the  Church,  to  which  the  Apostles 
delivered  both  the  book  and  the  true  meaning  of  it." 
The  Council  of  Trent*  decrees  that  the  truth  and 
discipline  of  the  Gospel  "  are  contained  in  the  written 
books,  and  unwritten  traditions  which,  received  by  the 
Apostles  from  the  mouth  of  Christ  himself,  or  from  the 
Apostles  themselves,  the  Holy  Ghost  dictating,  have 
come  down  even  unto  us."  "  One  God  is  the  author 
of  both  ( the  Old  Testament  and  the  New,)  as  also  the 
said  traditions  dictated  either  by  Christ's  own  word  of 
mouth,  or  by  the  Holy  Ghost." 

The  Roman  Catholic  believes,  therefore,  in  the 
Inspiration  o£  both  tlie  Church  and  the  Bible,  but  the 
Church  first  and  most  important.  It  does  not  regard 
the  Bible  as  a  sufficient  or  perhaps   infallible   guide, 

*  Session  4. 


56  PUSEYITE    VIEW. 

independently  of  the  interpretations  of  the  Church. 
Indeed  it  was  perhaps  one  object  of  those  who  decreed 
the  equal  authority  of  the  Vulgate  with  the  Greek 
Text  of  the  New  Testament,  and  the  canonical  author- 
ity of  the  Apocrypha  as  a  part  of  the  Old ;  to  Iceep 
alive  the  ancient  view  that  Inspiration  is  not  the  same 
thing  as  Infallibility. 

2.  The  Modern  High  Church  view  of  such  Epis- 
copalians as  Dr.  Pusey,  or  such  members  of  the 
Reformed  Churches,  as  Dr.  Tholuck  in  Germany  and 
possibly  Dr.  Nevin  in  this  country,  does  not  differ  very 
greatly  from  the  Roman  Catholic  view  as  to  the  rela- 
tions of  the  Church  and  Bible,  though  widely  differ- 
ing in  other  respects  especially  as  to  who  compose  that 
church  which  is  the  interpreter  of  the  written  word. 

It  varies  from  the  Roman  Catholic  view  also  in  this 
respect,  that  while  as  asserting  that  both  the  Church 
and  the  Bible  are  inspired,  it  does  not  absolutely  declare 
or  deny  that  either  of  them  are  infallihhj  inspired.  This 
modern  view  originated  in  a  re-actionary  movement 
against  a  Rationalism  approaching  that  of  Strauss. 
It  asserts  that  the  Church  and  the  Bible  are,  however, 
inspired  in  such  a  manner,  that  from  the  combined 
influences  of  the  two,  faithful  souls  shall  receive  a 
fully  suificient  and  divine  guidance  for  each  exigency, 
one  of  practical  infallibility  to  those  who  have  faith  in 
it,    if    not    theoretically    infallible    for    all    mankind. 


MECHANICAL    VIEW.  57 

There  are  many  shades  of  this  opinion,  and  its  depth 
and  force  arc  but  little  understood.  Robertson  of 
Brighton,  though  opposed  to  many  of.  the  High 
Church  views,  ably  remarks  that  there  is  a  certain 
incorrectness  that  is  not  only  consistent  with,  but 
necessary  to  Inspiration,  as  where  the  sun  is  said  to 
rise  and  set,  or  where  the  geological,  or  other  scientific 
statements  are  clothed  according  to  the  age  and  knowl- 
edge of  the  writer  or  reader,  not  in  words  of  absolute 
scientific  accuracy.* 

3.  Opposed  to  these,  though  in  some  respects  in  the 
same  great  division,  stands  the  mechanical  view,  which 
with  slight  modifications  of  expression,  is  found  in  the 
bulk  of  almost  all  the  Orthodox  Protestant  Articles  of 
Faith,  to  this  day,  whether  Calvinistic  or  Armenian. 
"  When  the  first  act  of  the  Reformation  was  closed, 
and  the  great  men  had  passed  away,  whose  presence 
seemed  to  supply  the  strength  which  was  found  in  the 
recognition  of  one  living  body  of  Christ,  their  followers 
invested  the  Bibte  as  a  whole,  with  all  the  attributes  of 
mechanical  infalhbility,  which  the  Romanists  had  claim- 
ed for  the  Church.  Pressed  by  the  necessities  of  the 
position,  the  disciples  of  Calvin  were  contented  to 
maintain  the  direct  and  supernatural  action  of  a  guid- 
ing power,  on  the  very  words  of  the  inspired  writer, 
without  any  regard  to  his  personal  or  national  posi- 
*  Vol.  II,  p.  148. 


58  DYNAMICAL    VIEW. 

tioii."*  "  All  the  written  word  is  inspii'ed  of  God  even 
to  a  single  iota  or  tittle,"  says  Gaussen,  as  the  "  con- 
clusion" of  his  whole  discussion,  the  object  of  which  is 
to  show  that  the  Scriptures  are  given  and  guaranteed 
by  God,  even  in  their  very  language,  and  contain  no 
error."  Dr.  Lee  in  his  work  on  Inspiration,  complains 
of  this  as  too  mechanical  a  theory  for  him,  because  he 
says,  "it  practically  ignores  the  human  element  of  the 
Bible,  and  fixes  its  exclusive  attention  upon  the  Divine 
agency,  exerted  in  its  composition  ; "  —  because  "  in 
fine,  each  and  every  point  has  not  only  been  committed 
to  writing,  under  the  infallible  assistance  and  guidance 
of  God,  but  is  to  be  ascribed  to  the  special  and  imme- 
diate suggestion,  erabreathment  and  diction  of  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

4.  But  we  faiJ,  as  Coleridge  did,  to  find  that  the  dif- 
ference is  of  any  practical  moment,  between  the  above 
and  Dr.  Lee's  own,  or  what  he  calls  the  '  Dynamical ' 
theory  of  Inspiration,  especially  when  he  says,  "  It  will 
be  the  object  of  the  present  discourses,  to  establish  in 
the  broadest  extent  all  that  the  supporters  of  the  mechan- 
ical theory  desire  to  maintain,  namely,  the  infallible  cer- 
tainty, the  indisputable  awthoiity,  the  perfect  and  entire 
truthfiilness  of  all  and  every  part  of  Holy  Scripture." 
On  the  next  page,  he  disclaims,  as  ascribing  undue 
prominence    to    the    human  element  of  the   Bible,  all 

*  Wcscott's  Introduction,  p.  31. 


DR.    DWIQHT.  59 

theories  like  those  of  Bishop  Wilson,  of  Calcutta, 
which  assume  various  "  degrees  of  Inspiration." 

In  a  confession  known  as  the  New  Hampshire  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  originally  written  by  Rev.  John  N. 
Brown,  and  extensively  adopted  by  Baptist  Churches 
and  Associations  throughout  the  country,  the  Holy 
Scriptures  are  described  as  having  "  God  for  their 
Author,  salvation  for  their  object,  and  truth  without 
any  mixture  of  error  for  th(ur  contents,"  —  yet  this 
really  conveys,  and  is  only  intended  to  convey,  a  belief 
either  in  the  mechanical  or  dynamical  theories,  as  may 
suit  the  subscribers.  Even  those  who  hold  to  degrees 
of  inspiration,  whether  but  two  degrees  like  Stapfcr,  or 
five,  or  even  eight,  so  long  as  the  possibility  of  error 
was  excluded,  believe  what  amounted  substantially  to 
the  same  thing. 

All  these  theories  I  consider  really  the  same.  They 
seem  more  or  less  to  "  ignore  the  human  element,"  and 
"fix  the  exclusive  attention  on  the  Divine  agency," 
insisting  upon  tfie  absolute  infaUibility  of  every  portion 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 

Dr.  Dwight,  for  instance,  insists  that  "  while  each 
writer  was  so  left  to  his  own  manner  of  speaking  or 
writing,  as  that  the  style  was  strictly  his  own,"  yet  that 
"  each  inspired  man  •  was  as  to  his  preaching  or  his 
writing,  absolutely  preserved  from  error  P 

Dr.   George    Hill,   Principal  of   St.  Mary's  College, 


60  DR.    HENDERSON.  * 

does  not  go  quite  so  far,  but  draws  a  distinction  be- 
tween the  inspiration  of  suggestion  and  that  of  dicta- 
tion. He  thinks  that  Paul  distinguishes  between  coun- 
sels that  he  gives  in  matters  of  indifference  upon  his 
own  judgment,  and  the  commandments  he  delivers 
with  the  authority  of  an  Apostle,  speaking  in  the  one 
case  by  permission,  in  the  other  by  commandment ; 
that  he  sometimes  discovered  a  doubt  or  a  change  of 
purpose  as  to  the  time  of  his  journey ings  and  other 
incidents  ;  and  that  there  is  an  imperfection  and 
obscurity  which  at  times  remains  on  the  style  of  the 
sacred  writers,  especially  of  Paul.  But  these  he  thinks 
not  at  all  inconsistent  with  the  Inspiration  of  direction, 
through  which,  however,  the  writers  were,  by  the  super- 
intendence of  the  Spu'it,  effectuaily  guarded  from  error 
while  they  luere  ivriting,  and  were  at  all  times  furnished 
with  that  measure  of  inspiration  which  the  nature  of 
the  subject  required."  * 

Dr.  Henderson,  who  objects  to  verbal  inspiration, 
says  that  there  is  "  no  material  difference "  between 
himself  and  those  who  hold  to  the  other  view,  as  they 
were  "  always  secured,  by  celestial  influence,  against 
the  adoption  of  any  forms  of  speech  or  collocations  of 
words  that  would  have  injured  the  exhibition  of  Divine 
truth,  or  that  did  not  adequately  give  it  expression." 

Dr.    Leonard    Woods    also    thinks    they   "were   so 

*  Lcct.  p.  333-8.    Edinburg,  1825. 


REVELATION    AND    INSPIRATION.     .  61 

guided  by  the  Divine  Spirit,  that  in  every  part  of  their 
work  they  wrote  just  what  God  willed  they  should 
write." 

We  may  therefore  regard  all  these  views  as  sub- 
stantially one.  Dr.  Lee,  and  many  before  hini  and 
since,  draw  a  strong  distinction  between  Revelation 
and  Inspiration.  Revelation  he  considers  "the  mani- 
festation "  of  a  truth,  Inspiration  "  is  the  record  of  it." 
It  is,  he  thinks,  the  Logos  that  reveals,  the  Holy  Ghost 
that  inspires.  All  this  may  be  true,  and  yet  at  last  I 
do  not  see  that  it  is  of  any  particular  moment.  Indeed, 
Stapfer,  a  theological  Professor  at  Berne,  who  died  in 
1775,  and  is  quoted  by  Dr.  Pye  Smith,  says,  "  We 
must  distinguish  between  those  parts  of  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  which  were  written  by  the  immediate  in- 
spiration of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  those  which  have 
been  consigned  to  writing  by  his  direction  only.  To 
the  former  class  belong  the  peculiar  discoveries  of  rev- 
elation, respecting  the  way  of  salvation,  predictions, 
&c.  To  the  latter  class  belong  truths  already  known 
from  Natural  Religion."  But  it  is  added,  "  Nor  was 
any  en'or  permitted  to  creep  in  with  regard  to  even 
the  minutest  fact  or  circumstance.  All  alike  comes  to 
us  through  Inspiration,  and  is  of  equal  precision, 
whether  it  be  by  revelation  or  observation  or  reasoning, 
if  we  follow  the  letter,  there  can  be  no  error  in  our  con- 


62  STRAUSS'    TJIEORY. 

elusions,  except  by  not  properly  applying  the  laws  of 
Interpretation." 

11.  We  turn  next  to  exhibit  some  of  those  theories 
in  regard  to  Inspiration  which  ignore  the  Divine  ele- 
ment altogether,  or  to  so  great  an  extent  exalt  the 
human  reason  as  to  overthrow  in  every  way  the  Divine 
Authority  of  Scripture. 

1.  The  first  of  these  that  we  will  here  mention  is 
that  of  Strauss,  who  in  1835  first  published  his  Life  of 
Christ,  and  has  lately  re-written  it  in  a  more  popular 
form.  Following  the  Hegelian  Philosophy,  and  deny- 
ing the  existence  of  a  personal  God,  he  could  of  course 
believe,  in  no  proper  sense,  in  Divine  Inspiration.  But 
yet,  regarding  Humanity  as  God  manifest  in  the  flesh, 
even  the  Gospels  seemed  to  him  as  a  mythical  exhibi- 
tion, a  sort  of  inspired  and  dream-like  picture  of  that 
idea  portraying  itself  by  degrees  in  the  shape  of 
stories  and  legends.  The  Gospels  with  him  are  pop- 
ular legends,  and  the  miracles  significant  poetry.  That 
Jesus  was  a  real  historic  personage,  he  believes,  a  pop- 
ular rabbi  and  teacher,  but  an  innovator  and  an  enthu- 
siast who  fancied  he  had  a  Divine  mission.  After  his 
death,  exaggerations  naturally  took  place,  of  his  teach- 
ings, and  these  gradually  grew,  not  by  design,  but  as 
the  natural  grow^th  of  the  poetic  and  philosophical 
imaginings  of  the  early  Church.  After  about  fifty 
years,  these  myths  began  to  resolve  themselves  into  the 


RECENT   CONGREGATIONAL   CONFESSION.  63 

Gospels.  The  meaning  of  this  mythical  life  of  Christ 
is  thus  explained  at  the  close.  The  career  of  Christ 
symbolizes  the  moral  history  of  mankind.  The  narra- 
tive is  therefore  true,  yet  not  of  the  individual,  but 
of  the  race.  The  teachings  of  Christianity  are  true, 
though  its  professed  facts  are  fables.  So  early  as  1802, 
G.  L.  Bauer  had  published  a  "  Hebrew  Mythology  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testament,"  while  Niebuhr  had 
reconstructed  Roman  history  by  regarding  its  early 
records  as  a  collection  of  myths. 

As  to  miracles,  Strauss  says,  "  No  just  notion  of  the 
true  natm-e  of  history  is  possible  without  a  perception 
of  the  inviolability  of  the  chain  of  jfinite  causes,  and 
of  the  impossibility  of  miracles."  So  far  he  was  Anti- 
supernaturalist. 

•  Already  before  Strauss  began  his  wholesale  work 
of  destruction  upon  the  New  Testament,  several  had 
applied  that  system  to  the  Old,  and  had,  he  tells  us, 
divided  off  its  myths  into  three  classes,  —  historical, 
philosophical  and  poetic. 

Historical  myths  are  narratives  of  real  events,  col- 
ored by  the  light  of  antiquity,  which  confounded  the 
Divine  and  the  human,  the  natural  and  the  super- 
natural. 

Philosophical  myths  are  those  which  clothe  in  the 
garb  of  historical  narrative  a  simple  thought,  a  precept, 
or  an  idea  of  the  time. 


64  THREE   SORTS   OF  MYTHS.  .     * 

Poetical  myths  are  historical  and  philosophical  myths 
partly  blended  together,  and  partly  embellished  by  the 
creation  of  the  imagination,  in  which  the  original  fact 
or  idea  is  almost  obscured  by  the  veil  which  the  fancy 
of  the  poet  has  thrown  around  it.  Where  no  object, 
for  the  sake  of  which  the  legend  might  have  been  in- 
vented, is  discoverable,  it  is  to  be  pronounced  histori- 
cal. But  if  the  principal  circumstances  combine  to 
symbolize  a  particular  truth,  this  undoubtedly  was  the 
object  of  the  narrative,  and  the  mythus  is  philosophical. 
When  the  account  is  so  wonderful  that  it  cannot  be  a 
detail  of  facts,  and  when  it  discovers  no  attempt  to 
symbolize  a  particular  thought,  it  may  be  suspected 
that  the  entire  narrative  owes  its  birth  to  the  imagina- 
tion of  the  poet.  Schelling  thinks  this  last  was  done 
because,  deficient  themselves  in  clear  abstract  ideas, 
and  in  ability  to  give  expression  to  their  conceptions, 
they  sought  to  illumine  what  was  obscure  in  their 
representations  by  means  of  sensible  imagery.* 

Thus  a  myth  may  have  no  historical  basis  of  fact, 
and  in  the  absence  of  explicit  evidence  we  have  no 
right  to  assume  any.  Mr.  Grotc  has  tried  to  show  this 
in  regard  to  the  History  of  Greece.  But  then  it  differs 
from  the  fable  in  being  a  spontaneous  and  gradual 
growth ;  not  a  work  of  any  one  mind,  but  of  many 
minds  successively  moving  forward  in  one  given  direc- 
*  Strauss'  Life  of  Jesus,  —  Introduction,  Sec.  8. 


THE  MYTH  AN  UNCONCIOUS  PRODUCT.      65 

tion  of  thought.  The  fable  and  parable  are  works  of 
conscious  invention.  But  the  myth  differs  from  these, 
in  being  an  unconscious  production,  never  of  delib- 
erately perpetrated  untruth.  This  it  is  that  probably 
reconciled  Strauss,  ao  it  has  done  many  others,  to  the 
mythical  theory  in  preference  to  the  Naturalistic,  which 
involved  the  idea  of  wilful  falsehood.  Asserting  that 
he  believed  the  ideas  thus  mythically  represented  to  be 
truth,  Strauss  supposed  that  his  theory  of  the  Gospels 
would  be  received  as  coming  nearer  to  the  old  views 
of  Inspiration  than  tlie  Naturalistic  explanations  that 
had  preceded. 

Before  Strauss,  some  efforts  had  been  made  to  ex- 
plain parts  of  the  Gospels  on  the  mythical  theory. 
Thus  Baur,  though  he  says  that  a  history  which  was 
altogether  mythical  was  not  to  be  sought  in  the  New 
Testament,  yet  believed  that  there  might  be  single 
myths  transferred  from  the  old  religion  to  the  new,  or 
springing  up  spontaneously  in  the  latter.  Thus,  in  the 
details  of  the  infancy  of  Jesus,  much  eeems  to  him  to 
require  this  solution.  Usteri  had  on  this  theory  ex- 
plained the  temptation  of  Jesus.  It  is  not,  however, 
to  be  imagined,  he  says,  that  any  one  individual  seated 
himself  at  his  table  to  invent  these  scenes  out  of  his 
own  head  and  write  them  down  as  he  would  a  poem  ; 
but  these  narratives,  like  all  other  legends,  were  fash- 
ioned  by   degrees,   which   can   no   longer    be   traced. 


66  THE    ORAL   GOSPEL. 

acquired  consistency,  and  at  length  received  a  fixed 
form  in  our  written  Gospels. 

Dr.  Strauss  was  not,  therefore,  breaking  altogether 
new  and  untrodden  gi-ound.  But  he  thought  the 
application  of  the  notion  of  the  mythus  too  circum- 
scribed and  says,  "  we  are  prepared  to  meet  with  both 
legend  and  mythus  in  the  gospel  history,  and  when  we 
undertake  to  extract  the  historical  contents  wnich  may 
possibly  exist  in  narratives  recognized  as  mythical,  we 
i^hall  be  equally  careful  neither  on  the  one  hand  by  a 
rude  and  mechanical  separation  to  place  ourselves  on 
the  same  ground  with  the  natural  interpreter,  nor  on 
the  other,  by  an  hypercritical  refusal  to  recognize  such 
contents,  where  they  actually  exist,  to  lose  sight  of  the 
history." 

Dr.  Strauss  supposes  that  about  fifty  years  after  the 
death  of  Jesus,  the  oral  Gospel  which  formed  the  basis 
and  cause  of  the  great  similarity  of  the  three  first 
gospels,  was  produced,  being  after  a  while  committed 
gradually  to  writing  by  several,  under  the  guidance  of 
some  Apostle,  or  Apostolic  man,  and  that  from  these 
\\Titings  our  present  gospels  were  compiled,  especially 
the  synoptics,  not  being  written  by  the  evangelists,  but 
only  "according  to"  their  supposed  views  and  teach- 
ings, as  he  after  Schleiermacher  considers  the  term 
■/.lira  to  imply.  But  he  will  not  admit  that  even  Luke's 
Gospel  was  written  until  early  in  the  second  Century, 


LATEST   VIEWS   OF   STRAUSS.  67 

but  together  with  the  Acts,  composed  or  edited  from 
earlier  manuscripts. 

He  lays  down  some  rules,  which  he  thinks  will  assist 
us  to  determine  what  is  historical,  and  what  unhistori- 
cal,  but  he  concludes  by  saying  that  "  the  boundary 
line  between  the  historical  and  the  .unhistorical  in 
records  in  which  as  in  our  Gospels  this  latter  element 
is  incorporated,  will  ever  rernain  fluctuating  and 
unsusceptible  of  precise  attainment.  h\  this  obscurity, 
the  author  wishes  to  guard  himself  in  those  places 
where  he  declares  he  knows  not  what  happened,  from 
the  imputation  of  asserting  that  he  knows  that  nothing 
happened." 

Such  were  the  views  of  Strauss  when  he  penned  the 
first  edition  of  his  work  in  1835.  But  thirty  years  later, 
he  re-wrote  the  wKlole  in  a  more  popular  style.  He  still 
calls  his  a  mythical  theory  of  the  Life  of  Jesus,  and 
notwithstanding  the  many  replies  that  have  been 
written  to  what  he  wrote,  and  the  complete  revulsion 
of  public  opinion  against  his  theory,  contends  that  he 
has  been  unanswered,  and  that  he  was  only  so  far 
mistaken,  as  a  man  is  in  error,  who,  having  supposed 
that  his  neighbor  owed  him  forty  pounds,  finds  that 
the  debt  is  much  greater.  So  he  says  that  he  now 
discovers  so  much  intentional  falsification,  that  lie 
abandons  his  former  ground,  in  which  he  professed  to 
acquit  the   Gospel  authorities  of  this,  and  instead  of 


68  Bauer's  view. 

being  devout  enthusiasts  mistaking  fiction  for  fact,  he 
considers  them  as  artful  theologians,  bent  on  establish- 
ing their  views,  and  using  pious  frauds  for  this  purpose. 

He,  therefore,  wishes  to  extend  the  meaning  of  the 
term  mythical,  and  strains  it  still  more  than  in  his 
former  edition  so  as  to  include  all  narratives  that  spring 
out  of  a  theological  idea.  He  considers  the  Gospel  of 
John  as  not  written  till  between  160  or  175  A.  D.,  and 
thinks  that  it  pm-posely  misdates  the  time  of  the  cruci- 
fixion for  a  theological  purpose.*  In  a  word,  Strauss 
becomes  more  and  more  skeptical  as  he  grows  older. 

2.  From  Strauss  we  turn  to  Baur,  a  much  more 
reasonable  critic.  He  is  or  has  been  considered  a  fol- 
lower of  Hcgcl,  even  to  Pantheism,  but  it  is  said,  on 
the  other  hand,  that  he  has  only  employed  Hegel's 
philosophical  analysis  of  the  inner  life  of  history,  with- 
out identifying  himself  with  the  theological  deductions 
at  which  Hegel  aims,  and  in  his  system,  claims  to  have 
found  a  counterpoise  against  the  negative  and  de- 
structive philosophy  of  Strauss.  His  desire  seems  to 
be  to  establish  Biblical  Criticism  on  the  same  platform 
as  the  philosophy  of  history.  As  a  critic  of  this  kind, 
his  fame  is  unequalled  among  those  of  the  Tubingen 
school,  at  the  head  of  which  he  stood.  Indeed,  his 
ability,  originality  and  fairness  have  been  fully  recog- 

*  See  Essays  on  the  Supernatural  origin  of  Christianity  by  G.  P. 
Fisher,  p.  428-9. 


Paul's  four  epistles.  69 

nized  even  by  Professors  like  Dorner,  opposed  to  him 
on  the  most  vital  matters,  so  that  his  history  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  Atonement  is  perhaps  most  admired 
by  those  who  would  least  agree  with  "his  philosophical 
or  even  his  theological  opinions. 

He,  like  Strauss,  restricts  his  attention  to  the  New 
Testament,  but  he  stands  in  direct  opposition  to 
Strauss'  inclination  to  underv^alue  the  historic  element. 
The  great  problem  he  undertakes,  is  to  re-construct  the 
history  of  early  Christianity,  to  re-investigate  the  gen- 
esis of  the  gospel  biographies  and  doctrine.  Declining 
to  approach  the  books  of  the  New  Testament  with 
dogmatic  preconceptions,  he  breaks  with  the  past 
Judaism,  and  interprets  it  by  the  historic  method,  pro- 
posing for  his  fundamental  principle,  to  interpret 
Scripture  exactly  like  any  other  literary  work. 

"  Pretending  that  after  the  ravages  of  criticism,  the 
Gospels  cannot  be  regarded  as  true  history,  but  only  as 
miscellaneous  materials  for  history,  his  school  takes  its 
stand  on  four  of  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul,  i.  e.  I  and  II 
Corinthians,  Romans  and  Galatians,  the  genuineness 
of  which  it  cannot  doubt,  and  finds  in  the  struggle  of 
Jew  and  Gentile,  its  theory  of  Christianity,  which  is 
not  regarded  as  miraculous,  but  as  an  off-shoot  of 
Judaism,  which  received  its  final  form  by  the  contest 
of  the  Petrine,  or  Judajo- Christian  party,  and  the 
Pauline  or  Gentile,  which  contest  is  considered  by  it, 


70  FARRAR's   account   of   BAUER. 

not  to  have  been  decided,  till  late  in  the  Second  Cen- 
tury. By  the  aid  of  this  theory,  constructed  from  few 
books  which  it  admits  to  be  of  undoubted  genuineness, 
it  guides  itself  in  the  examination  of  the  remainder, 
traces  them  to  party  interests  which  determined  their 
aim,  pronouncing  on  their  object  and  date,  by  reference 
to  it.  In  this  way  it  arrives  at  most  extraordinary 
conclusions  in  reference  to  some  of  them.  Not  a 
single  book  except  four  of  Paul's  Epistles  is  regarded 
as  authentic.  The  gospel  called  that  of  St.  John  is 
considered  as  a  treatise  of  the  Alexandrian  philosophy, 
written  late  in  the  Second  Century,  to  support  the 
theory  of  the  ^10709.  It  will  thus  be  perceived  that  the 
enquiry  of  his  school,  though  it  professes  to  be  objec- 
tive, yet  has  a  subjective  cast."  * 

Hase,  in  his  Life  of  Jesus,  Fourth. Edition,  gives  the 
following  summary  of  the  conclusions  of  Baur,  and 
of  the  Tubingen  school.  '^That  the  Canonical  Gos- 
pels were  written  in  the  Second  Century,  that  the 
Gospel  of  Matthew  is  the  most  genuine,  and  is  a  com- 
paratively faithful  translation  of  the  Gospel  to  the 
Hebrews,  that  the  Gospel  of  Luke  is  a  compilation  of 
the  materials  already  existing,  proceeding  from  the 
stand  point  of  Paul  as  a  balance  against  the  Ebionites ; 
that  the  Gospel  of  Mark  consists  of  extracts  from  the 
two  others,  with  the  purpose  of  taking  middle  ground 
*  See  Farrr.r's  Critical  History  of  Free  Thouglit,  p.  277-8. 


BRUNO   BAUER.  71 

between  them,  and  so  forming  a  stepping  stone  from  one 
to  the  other;  and  that  the  fourth  gospel  was  composed 
subsequently  as  a  spiritual  romance  about  the  Logos, 
out  of  materials  taken  from  the  synoptics  —  which 
assumes  that  its  ideal  contents  are  necessarily  opposed 
to  historic  truth."  But  all  this  criticism  of  the  sources 
comes  back  at  last  to  rest  for  its  foundation  upon  a 
criticism  of  the  gospel  narrative  itself.  Bauer  himself 
says  "  the  principle  argument  for  the  later  origin  of 
the  Gospels  must  forever  remain  this,  —  that  separately 
and  still  more  when  taken  together,  they  give  an 
account  of  the  life  of  Jesus  which  involves  impossi- 
bilities." *  Elsewhere  Hasd  says,  "  the  Revelation  of 
John  and  the  four  great  Epistles  of  Paul  are  alone 
regarded  as  genuine  monuments  of  the  af)ostolic 
Church,  and  the  first  gospel  is  looked  upon  as  a  col- 
lection of  apostolical  traditions  made  very  near  the 
same  period."  f 

But,  in  fact,  this  school  has  been  so  variant  in  its 
conclusions,  that  it  has  lost  much  of  the  importance  at 
first  attached  to  it.  Indeed,  at  Tubingen,  it  has  en- 
tirely died  out.  Bruno  Bauer,  of  Berlin,  though  he 
cannot  be  called  a  Tubingen  man,  has  pushed  matters 
further,  so  as  to  abandon  even  the  four  Epistles  of  St. 
Paul;  while  many  of  the  present  Professors  at  Tubin- 

*  See  Clarke's  Translation  of  Ilase's  Life  of  Jesus,  p.  35-G. 
t  Hist.  Christian  Church,  Sec.  458. 


72  NIEBUHR   CONCLUSIONS. 

gen,  taking  their  stand  on  these  four  Epistles  as  un- 
questionable, have  reconstructed  a  faith  in  the  early 
history  of  Christianity  and  its  writings,  so  closely 
approaching  to  Orthodoxy,  that  many  of  them  have 
become  pietists  of  the  most  strictly  symbolical  kind. 

Perhaps  this  has  been  in  part  the  effect  of  a  political 
feeling ;  and  not  only  of  intellectual  conviction,  but 
such  as  induced  Niebuhr  to  educate  his  son  Marcus 
with  the  determination  to  make  him  "  believe  in  the 
letter  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament."  "  I  shall  nur- 
ture in  him,"  he  said,  "  from  infancy,  a  firm  faith  in  all 
I  have  lost,  or  feel  uncertain  about."  This  seems  a 
sad  but  most  natural  termination  of  merely  sceptical 
criticism,  that  is,  of  reasoning  negatively  alone,  and 
without  any  fixed  basis  of  authority  from  which  to 
begin,  or  any  great  practical  effort  in  life  at  which  it 
aims.  Its  highest  att^nments  at  last  seems  to  be 
doubt  in  the  correctness  of  its  own  disbelief,  and  a 
hatred  of  it  even  more  intense  than  its  doubt. 

There  have  been,  however,  many  in  whom,  as  we 
shall  see,  the  re-active  movement  against  excessive  dis- 
belief has  been  of  a  most  sincere  and  positive  kind. 
Indeed,  now,  not  alone  at  Tubingen,  but  elsewhere,  the 
tendency  seems  to  a  return,  not  merely  to  the  Medi- 
ation views  of  Schleiermachcr,  but  to  a  pietism  the 
most  intense.  How,  indeed,  could  it  be  otherwise? 
If  any  of  Paul's  writings  are  admitted  to  be  genuine, 


tischendorf's  mew.  73 

then  the  parenthetic  and  other  peculiarities  of  the  style 
readily  assure  us  of  the  genuineness  of  much  of  the 
rest.  But  even  taking  only  the  four  admitted  Epistles 
to  be  genuine,  they  evidently  taJ^e  for  granted  all  the 
important  facts  of  the  life  and  character  of  Christ  as 
believed  and  taught  by  all,  sometime  before  the  death, 
if  not  before  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Nero. 
"Whatever  may  be  thought,  therefore,  of  particular 
Epistles,  or  parts  of  Epistles  and  books,  the  substance 
of  the  New  Testament,  so  far  as  the  life  of  Christ  and 
the  conduct  of  the  Apostles  is  concerned,  must  have 
been  at  that  time  believed  by  the  great  body  of  the 
Church,  as  given  us  by  the  Evangelists  and  tUc  Acts, 
from  the  time  say  of  the  conversion  of  St.  Paul.  The 
tendency  of  the  historico-critical  school  in  Germany 
has  been  of  late  years  back  increasingly  tovsrards  admit- 
ting the  very  early  authorship  of  some  of  the  New- 
Testament  Scriptures.  The  Apocalypse  is  now  placed 
back  in  the  first  year  of  the  Vespasian,  and  all  the 
Gospels  are  considered  by  Tischendorf  as  of  the  first 
century.  The  substance  of  Matthew's  Gospel  is  re- 
garded as  in  existence,  though  not  perhaps  in  its  pres- 
ent exact  form,  at  the  close  of  the  first  century,  and  as 
having  been  considered  authentic  and  authoritative  by 
the  Christian  Church,  Gentile  and  Jewish,  by  Dr.  Fred- 
erick Bleek. 

3.  The  next  writer  whose  opinions  may  be  said  to 

4 


74  renan's  view. 

belong  representatively  to  the  present  day,  is  Ren  an, 
who,  early  destined  for  the  Church,  renounced  it  after 
he  had  pursued  the  study  of  Hebrew,  S3rriac,  and 
Arabic,  became  distinguished  as  a  philologist,  was  sent 
by  Napoleon  to  Tyre,  Sidon,  and  Lebanon  in  1860 ; 
there  he  made  some  excavations  and  discoveries,  and 
drew  up  a  report  to  Napoleon,  and  was  appointed 
a  Professor  in  the  University  of  Paris,  to  the  disgust 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  Priests,  whose  profession  he 
had  abandoned,  and  who  now  had  their  revenge  by 
getting  him  silenced  in  consequence  of  some  sceptical 
remarks  in  his  opening  lecture.  He  then  produced 
that  I^fe  of  Jesus,  which  has  had  a  large  sale  in 
France.  There,  very  little  close  Biblical  study  goes  a 
long  way,  as  in  Roman  Catholic  countries  generally. 
Indeed,  his  work  produced  quite  a  large  sale  of  the 
New  Testament,  from  the  sort  of  new  interest  it  tlirew 
around  the  study  of  the  Life  of  Christ. 

He  is  also  a  Pantheist,  and  his  work  is  full  of  the 
most  extreme  exaggerations  and  all  the  results  of  a 
vivid  imagination,  asserted  with  all  the  confidence  of 
the  most  certain  fact.  The  very  ten  commandments, 
were,  according  to  him,  written  on  tables,  not  of  stone, 
but  of  brass,  in  spite  of  the  Hebrew,  the  Septuagint, 
and  the  Vulgate.  In  his  work  on  the  Semitic  lan- 
guages, he  declared  the  whole  Semitic  race  naturally 
Monotheistic,  instead  of  confining  his  remark  to  the 


"ACCORDINQ   to"   LUKE.  75 

family  of  Abraham,  to  apologize  we  suppose  for  the 
failure  of  the  Jews  and  Christians  to  attain  to  the 
wisdom  of  Pantheism. 

In  some  respects  he  is,  however,  much  less  sceptical 
than  the  school  of  Bauer,  though  in  critical  sagacity 
he  is  behind  him.  He  thinks  that  "  all  the  books  "  of 
the  New  Testament  "  had  become  fixed  very  nearly  in 
the  form  in  which  we  read  them,  before  the  year  one 
hundred,"  —  "the  composition  of  the  gospels  having 
been  one  of  the  most  important  events  which  occurred 
during  the  second  half  of  the  first  century." 

"  Matthew  and  Mark  are  impersonal  compositions," 
he  says,  "in  which  the  author  totally  disappears." 
The  words  "  according  to,''^  Matthew  or  Mark  or  Luke  or 
John  do  not  imply  that  the  gospels  were  written  from 
one  end  to  the  other  by  these  authors.  It  only  signifies 
that  these  writings  embody  the  traditions  coming  from 
"  these  apostles,"  and  covered  by  their  authority..  "  A 
proper  name  written  at  the  head  of  such  works  does 
not  mean  much."  'But  he  thinks  the  third  gospel  is 
certainly  by  Luke,  the  companion  of  Paul.  "  It  is," 
he  says,  "  beyond  doubt  that  the  author  of  the  third 
gospel  and  of  the  Acts,  is  a  man  of  the  second  apos- 
tolic generation,  and  it  was  written  after  the  siege 
of  Jerusalem,  and  soon  after."  He  esteems  it  certain, 
also,  that  Matthew  and  Mark  wrote  before  Ijuke.  In 
regard  to  John's  gospel,  "  there  is,"  he  says,  "  no  doubt 
that  towards  the  year  150,  the   fourth  gospel  was  in 


76  RENAN  OF  John's  gospel. 

existence,  and  was  attributed  to  St.  John.  Formal 
texts  of  St.  Justin,  Athenagoras,  Satian,  Theophilus  of 
Antioch,  and  Ircnajus,  show  that  from  that  time,  this 
gospel  was  used  in  all  controversies,  and  served  as  a 
corner  stone  for  the  development  of  doctrine."  Indeed 
he  seems  pretty  fully  persuaded  that  the  Gospel,  except 
the  twenty-first  chapter,  and  the  first  Epistle  are  both 
the  genuine  work  of  John  the  Evangelist,  written, 
however,  after  the  year  A.  D.  68.  Still  the  style  of  the 
discourses  given  by  John  is  so  different  from  the 
Synoptics,  that  while  he  entirely  dissents  from  Bauer 
and  his  school,  who  suppose  this  gospel  only  a  theolog- 
ical thesis,  without  historical  value,  he  regards  these 
records  as  the  memories  of  an  old  man,  sometimes  of 
mai*vellous  freshness,  and  sometimes  having  suffered 
strange  mutilations.  But  the  discourses  reported  are 
not,  he  thinks,  historic,  but  intended  to  cover  with  the 
authority  of  Jesus,  certain  doctrines  dear  to  the  com- 
piler, and  especially  to  oppose  the  Gnosticism  then 
arising.  "  Considering  Jesus  as  +hc  Incarnation  of 
Truth,  John  could  not  but  attribute  to  him  what  he 
had  come  to  take  for  truth."  The  narrative  of  John 
he  thinks  to  be  prcfcn-ed  to  that  of  the  Synoptics,  but 
the  discourses  of  John  are  put  into  the  mouth  of  Jesus, 
as  Plato  has  done  with  Socrates  in  his  Dialogues. 
Yet,  after  all  this,  Renan  will  not  pronounce  upon  the 
material  question,  what  hand  traced  the  fourth  gospel. 


THEODORE   PAEKER's   VIEW.  77 

%  f 

and  inclines  to  believe  the  discourses  are  not  by  the 

son  of  Zebedec.  He  admits  that  "this  is  really  the 
gospel  according  to  John."  "  Upon  the  whole,  I  accept 
the  four  canonical  gospels,"  he  says,  "  as  authentic. 
All,  in  my  judgment,  date  bacli  to  the  first  century, 
and  they  are  substantially  by  the  Authors  to  whom 
they  are  attributed,  though  in  historic  value,  very 
vmcqual." 

In  nothing  does  Renan  more  differ  from  the  German 
authors,  to  whom  we  have  referred,  than  in  the  con- 
tempt he  feels  for  all  the  apocryphal  gospels  now  left 
to  us,  and  the. fragments  of  those  lost,  which  are  in  his 
view,  but  flat  and  puerile  amplifications,  based  on  the 
canonical  gospels,  and  Udding  to  them  nothing  of 
value. 

4.  The  opinions  of  Theodore  Parker  have  been 
presented  to  the  public  in  such  various  ways,  that  I 
close  the  view  of  this  class  of  Theologians  with  those 
held  by  him.  In  this  country  he  has  been  looked  upon 
as  a  social  reformer,  but  it  is  as  a  laborious  if  not  con- 
sistent and  patient  theological  thinker  on  the  subject  of 
Revelation,  that  we  have  to  do  with  him  here.  He 
was,  beyond  doubt,  one  of  the  most  indefatigable  stu- 
dents, and  though  not  minutely  accurate,  he  finally 
became  one  of  the  most  learned  men  on  the  American 
Continent.  But  he  was  chiefly  self-taught,  always 
growing,  and  so  far  changing  his  views  that  the  most 


78  FAREAR   ON   THEODORE   PARKER. 

p  * 

contradictory  opinions  have  been  formed  of  his  char- 
acter. Even  Professor  Fisher,  of  Yale  College,  de- 
scribes his  position  as  one  of  uneasy  equilibrium 
between  Pantheism  and  Theism,  though  he  admits  that 
there  are  other  expressions  decidedly  Theistic  in  their 
purport.  The  article  in  the  American  Encyclopaedia 
also  gives  as  his  scheme  of  theology,  that  "  God  is 
infinitely  wise  and  good,  impersonal  because  not  com- 
prehensible in  any  human  conception,  but  personal, 
because  containing  all  his  attributes  in  a  unity  of  will 
and  essence."  However  erroneously  he  may  at  mo- 
ments have  expressed  himself  as  to  what  is  required  in 
order  to  personality,  yet  by  those  who  believe  that 
wherever  there  is  a  Will  guided  by  intelligence,  there 
is  personality,  Theodore  Parker  must  be  regarded  as 
one  of  the  most  thorough  and  intense  Theists  the 
world  has  often  seen.  The  volume  of  his  prayers 
published  since  his  death  prove  this.  "  Few  nobler 
attacks  on  atheism  or  defences  of  the  Benevolent 
character  of  the  Divine  being  exist,  than  those  he 
supplied."  *  In  this  respect,  he  rises  with  a  manly  and 
vigorous  feeling  of  the  Divine  Personality,  that  places 
him,  if  a  thinker  of  less  delicacy  at  times,  yet  one  also 
of  greater  vigor  and  thoroughness  than  many  of  those 
intellectual  idealists  so  common  in  Germany,  who 
have  refined  away  all  clear  conceptions  of  what  Per- 
*  See  Farrar's  Critical  History  of  Free  Thought,  p.  324-5. 


DIVINE   PERSONALITY.  79 

sonality  really  conaists  in,  or  the  proofs  of  its  existence 
anywhere.* 

The  position  of  this  Philosopher  towards  Christianity 
was  clear  and  well  defined.  With  an  admiration  and 
love  for  the  character  of  Jesus,  unrivalled  in  sceptical 
literature,  and  with  an  enthusiasm  for  the  Scriptures  _ 
themselves  viewed  from  his  stand  point,  he  became  by 
degrees^  a  settled  and  stern  opponent  of  the  Super- 
natural as  distinct  from  the  Natural  in  every  form  and 
shade.  Without  declaring  the  impossibility  of  mira- 
cles, he  utterly  denied  any  proof  of  them.     He  there- 

*  The  intellectual  nature  of  man  alone,  never  can  perceive  proofs  of 
the  Divine  PersonaUty  directly  or  immediately.  It  is  liis  intellectual 
united  with  his  moral  nature,  his  own  consciousness  of  power  as  a  heing 
of  Will,  that  as^jires  him  of  another  power,  outside  of  himself,  vast  and 
infinite,  who  possesses  like  him  that  combination  of  Intellect  and  Will 
in  a  single  consciousness,  which  alone  demonstrates  the  personality  of 
God.  Prof.  Maurice  has  shown  in  his  admirable  essay  on  the  History 
of  Intellectual  and  Moral  Pliilosophy  in  the  Encyclopedia  Metropolitana, 
that  the  full  clear  certaJfiy  of  one  personal'  God,  first  announced  among 
the  Greeks  so  far  as  we  know  by  Anaxagoras,  after  ages  of  mental 
struggle  and  conflict,  was,  from  the  time  of  Socrates  through  the  Plato- 
nic Philosophy  that  which  gave  to  the  best  Grecians  their  great  step  in 
advance,  and  carried  them  to  the  point  that  forever  separated  them  from 
the  Indian  Pantheism.  Jewish  Prophets  and  Psalmists  had  indeed  an- 
nounced this  truth  hundreds  of  years  before  the  Greeks  at  least.  But  this 
healthy  feeling  of  personality  and  trust  in  a  personal  God,  which  has  of 
late  been  again  lacking  in  many  through  the  fear  of  receiving  it  merely 
as  a  Christian  tradition,  because  no  thorough  liistory  of  Natural  Keligion 
liad  traced  it  out,  was  not  wanting  in  Theodore  Parker. 


80  THE   ABSOLUTE   RELIGION. 

fore,  of  course  held  to  the  falhbility  of  the  Scripture 
Records.  Inspiration  he  was  far  from  denying,  but  did 
not  confine  it  to  any  religious  sense,  and  considered 
works  of  intellectual  genius  also  as  produced  by  its 
influence.  While  regarding  Christianity  thus,  as  an 
inspired  system  (and  the  best  yet  exhibited  of  man's 
moral  and  religious  nature,)  he  considered  it  subject 
to  improvement  and  not  final.  The  religion  he  ,thirsted 
after  and  taught  was  "the  absolute  rehgion."  Hence 
he  thought  that  holy  and  good  men  of  old,  who  were 
striving  after  truth,  spake  according  to  the  light  which 
was  in  them.  He  had  on  the  one  hand  an  earnestness 
of  nature,  that  made  him  capable  of  the  most  true  and 
lofty  eloquence  ;  and  on  the  other,  a  sarcastic  and  ma- 
lignant spirit  at  times  against  the  faith  of  his  oppo- 
nei^s,  that  provoked  much  bitterness  against  himself. 
Yet  his  friends  ever  felt  that  his  love  of  the  truths  he 
knew  was  more  valuable,  than  his  hatred  of  what  he  sup- 
posed ciToncous  was  hurtful,  and  even  thought  that  it 
was  this  love  of  what  he  considered  positive  and  eter- 
nal truth,  that  made  him  impatient  and  bitter  against 
what  he  supposed  to  stand  in  its  way. 

Thus  have  we  given  a  sketch  of  the  opposite  extremes 
of  opinion  as  held  at  the  present  moment  respectively 
by  Supernaturalists,  and  Anti-superntituralists ;  by  those 
who  look  upon  the  Bible  as  infallible  and  alone  author- 
itative, and  by  those  who  not  only  look  upon  it  as 
fallible,  but  deny  any  sjjccial  authoritative  Revelation. 


MODERN   VIEWS.  81 


CHAPTER    III. 

MODERN    VIEWS,    CONTINUED. 

rpHE  various  opinions  framed  to  mediate  between 
-L  the  two  extremes  we  have  presented,  must  now 
occupy  our  attention. 

Some  years  ago,  M.  Cousin  came  out  and  avowed 
himself  an  Eclectic  Philosopher.  Afterwards,  Mr.  Morell 
WTote  a  History  of  Philosophy,  in  which  he  followed 
closely  M.  Cousin's  method,  and  divided  all  possible 
systems  into  five  great  classes  :  1.  That  of  Sensational- 
ism, in  which  all  our  Knowledge  is  supposed  to  arise 
simply  from  sensations:  2.  Idealism,  in  which  our 
volitions,  desires,  and  the  subjective  laws  of  our 
reason  and  intelligence  become  separated  from  the 
whole  region  of  sensation:  3.  The  Sceptical  Phihso- 
phi/ which  arises  from  the  apparent  contradiction  of 
the  two  former  modes  of  obtaining  knowledge,  and 
aims,  by  doubting,  to  destroy  error  and  all  that  is  false: 
4.  Blysticism.     The  mind  never  rests  long  content  with 


82  COUSIN    AND    MORELL. 

a  system  of  negation,  but  seeks  some  positive  ground, 
and  hence  it  re-acts  towards  a  Mysticism  which  re- 
solves the  basis  of  all  knowledge  finally  to  the  voice 
of  God,  speaking  and  stirring  within  us,  and  teaching 
us  to  know  what  is  true.  But  this  system  leads  to 
superstition  and  eiTor,  men  mistaking  their  own  fancies 
for  the  inward  voice :  5.  Hence,  finally  arises  the 
Eclectic  Philosophy,  which  perceiving  that  these  four 
preceding  systems  owe  their  origin  to  some  correct 
idea,  and  all  succeed  in  eliciting  some  fragments  of 
knowledge,  that  would  otherwise  have  probably  re- 
mained neglected  or  concealed,  proposes  to  follow  one 
or  other  of  these  four  directions,  as  the  case  may  be,  to 
a  certain  extent,  but  rejects  in  each  what  may  appear 
absurd  or  extravagant. 

Cousin  and  Morell  seem  to  think  this  a  sort  of 
ultimate  philosophy,  partly  on  account  of  its  catholic 
plan  of  embracing  all  that  is  true  in  others,  but 
chiefly  on  account  of  its  supposed  cautious  and  safe 
results. 

There  are  several  systems  aiming  at  eclecticism  on 
this  subject  of  Inspiration.  In  the  life  of  F.  W. 
Robertson,  of  Brighton,  he  thus  replies  to  a  lady  who 
asks  him  what  lie  is.  "  Not  an  eclectic,  certainly.  An 
eclectic  is  one  who  pieces  together  fragmentary  opin- 
ions culled  out  of  different  systems  on  some  one 
principal  of  selection.     I  endeavor  to  seize  and  hold 


Robertson's  eclecticism.  83 

the  spirit  of  every  truth  which  is  held  by  ail  systems 
under  diverse,  and  often  in  appearance,  contradictory 
forms.  *  *  *  *  I  get  a  truth  not  by 
eclecticism,  taking  as  much  of  each  as  I  like,  hut  that 
which  both  assert.^'  The  points  in  each  really  opposed 
to  each  other  he  rejects  as  false,  that  in  which  both 
agree  he  esteems  true.  Accordingly  in  giving  the  basis 
on  which  he  taught,  he  lays  down  as  three  of  his 
fundamental  principles,  "  first,  the  establishment  of  posi- 
tive truth,  instead  of  the  negative  destruction  of  error. 
Secondly,  that  truth  is  made  up  of  two  opposite  prop- 
ositions, and  not  found  in  a  via  media  between  the 
two.*  Thirdly,  that  spiritual  truth  is  discerned  by  the 
spirit  instead  of  intellectually  in  propositions,  and 
therefore  truth  should  be  taught  suggestively  not 
dogmatically."! 

*  Hegel  assumed  that  the  law  of  logic  was  the  law  of  the  Universe, 
according  to  which  all  opposites  arc  elevated,  until  they  become  lost  in 
a  higher  imity.  —  (Hase,  Sec.  450.) 

t  That  there  is  much  that  is  valuable  in  all  these  suggestions,  few 
will  doubt.  Indeed  all  who  have  ever  felt  that  there  was  justice  in  the 
eclectic  system  as  a  practical  method  of  arriving  at  truth  on  any  subject, 
must  also  have  felt  that  it  was  a  most  unscientific  way  of  doing  so,  as 
nothing  was  decided  as  to  the  principles  on  which  the  selection  of 
methods  should  be  made,  or  the  degree  to  which  any  one  system  should 
be  followed,  or  where  the  pursuit  of  it  should  stop.  All,  too,  must  have 
felt  that  it  is  a  method,  which,  if  it  ever  accidentally  leads  to  right 
conclusions,  has  often  led  to  false  ones,  that  it  is  as  it  were,  mere  guess 
work,  and  more  olleu  a  cowardly  and  compromising  system,  wliich  is 


84  SCHLEIERMACHER. 

We  turn  therefore,  to  look  at  some  of  the  differeiit 
systems  which  are  now  proposed,  and  popular  in  several 
circles,  for  uniting  the  claims  of  Authority  and  Reason 
in  regard  to  Inspiration. 

1.  In  Germany  the  difficulty  has  been  most  openly 
and  intensely  discussed,  and  Schleiermacher  may  per- 
haps be  regarded  as  the  leader  of  those  who  after  a  long 
season  of  religious  deadness,  guided  the  learning  and 

convenient  chiefly  for  those  M^ho  are  afraid  of  avowing  an  unpopular 
truth,  and  therefore  divide  it,  and  mix  it  up  with  so  much  of  popular 
error  as  shall  make  it  palatable  to  the  age.  Mr.  Kobertson's  system 
would  however  be  claimed  by  the  true  Eclectics  as  fairly  embraced 
within  this  method,  and  only  a  mol-e  precise  statement  of  their  system. 
As  such  we  are  disposed  to  regard  it.  It  is  this  which  makes  the  his- 
torical development  of  any  truth  so  convincing.  Mr.  Lccky  says  truly, 
that  there  is  an  increasing  tendency  to  this,  and  if  so,  it  must  be  because 
thus  amid  a  thousand  contradictory  circumstances,  the  opposite  poles  of 
every  great  truth  will  show  themselves  in  history,  and  the  synthetic 
point  of  their  union. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  Coleridge  meant  what  Mr.  Eobcrtson  has 
described  more  fully,  when  he  said  "  all  power  manifests  itself  iu  the 
harmony  of  corresponding  opposites,  each  supporting  the  other."  The 
two  poles,  and  the  point  of  harmony  belonging  to  every  truth,  consti- 
tute that  tri-unity  that  he  thought  the  most  clear  and  necessary  method 
of  comprehending  any  subject.  But  Coleridge  the  Mystic,  got  this 
thought  from  Plato  the  Idealist.  And,  indeed,  all  the  Trinities  of  the 
ancients  are  older  far  than  the  Alexandrine  School,  older  than  Plato ; 
they  belonged  to  the  Druidical  systems,  to  the  early  Greek  Philosophy, 
to  the  Eg3'ptian,  and  back  of  them  to  the  Indian  methods  of  thought. 
Thus  the  oldest  philosophy  and  newest  meet  and  agree,  and  the  two 
poles  of  highest  antiquity  and  most  severe  modern  thought  xmite. 


SCHLEIERMACIIER.  85 

wisdom  of  Germany  from  a  cold  and  dead  rationalism 
to  religious  faith  and  earnestness,  while  infusing  into 
the  pietism  of  other  classes  a  proper  respect  for  their 
own  intellectual  powers. 

Born  in  1768,  his  father  a  German  Reformed  Pastor, 
and  his  mother  the  daughter  of  a  minister  of  the  same 
Church,  educated  under  the  instructions  of  the  pious 
JNIoravians,  to  which   Communion  his  sister  devoted 
herself,  he  became  in  his  own  experience  a  strange  mix- 
ture of  opposite  tendencies.     B^orc  he  was  fourteen, 
a  teacher  had  inspired  him  with  an  enthusiasm  for 
classical  literature.     With  it  had  sprung  up  what  he 
calls,  "  a  strange  scepticism,"  "  a  peculiar  thorn  in  the 
flesh,"  and  which  made  him  doubt  the  genuineness  of 
all  the  early  ancient  authors.     The  innocent  orthodox 
piety  he  met  with  among  the  Moravians,  made  a  great 
impression  on  his  whole  after  life,  for  he  was  one  easily 
influenced  by  all  around  him,  and  possessed  the  won 
derful  faculty  of  drawing  all  the  good,  true  and  beau 
tiful  from  even  the  most  seemingly  opposite  sources 
The  age  was  sceptical,  German  |hcology  peculiarly  so 
while  he  was  going  through  the   University  at  Halle 
and  he  was  constitutionally  of  that  turn,  so  that  he  left 
without  any  fixed  religious  system,  yet  with  the  hope 
of  "  attaining  by  earnest  research  and  patient  examin- 
ation of  all  the  witnesses  to  a  reasonable  degree  of 


86  SCHLEIERMACHER. 

certainty,  and   to  a  knowledge  of  the  boundaries  of 
human  science  and  learning." 

This  was  the  man,  who  in  after  years  at  Berlin,  be- 
came the  most  remarkable  preacher  and  Professor  of 
his  day,  lecturing  on  Philosophy  and  Theology  daily, 
and  without  founding  a  distinct  school,  yet  giving  an 
impulse  to  the  religious  life  of  Germany  similar  to  that 
which  Coleridge  afterwards  gave  to  the  thinking  classes 
of  England;  an  influence  which  now  at  a  period  of 
ninety  years  from  hi^  birth,  has  retained  its  hold  upon 
the  wisest  end  most  mature  minds,  as  that  to  which 
they  return  from  the  extremes  of  Strauss  and  Bauer 
with  fresh  satisfaction.  In  1799,  he  published  his 
"discourses  on  Religion,  addressed  to  educated  men 
among  its  despisers,"  which  appears  to  have  had  a 
wonderful  effect,  upon  the  rising  generations  of  Theo- 
logians. His  piety  at  that  time,  very  dreamy  and 
tinctm-ed  with  the  pantheism  of  Spinoza,  ripened 
gradually  into  a  feeling  of  absolute  dependence  upon 
God,  and  direct  conciousness  of  him.  His  translation 
of  Plato  in  six  volumgs,  placed  him  in  the  front  rank 
of  critics  upon  those  wonderful  thoughts,  which,  ages 
before,  had  prepared  large  bodies  of  men  to  enter  the 
Christian  Church  through  the  gate  of  the  Alexandrine 
School.  Both  he  and  Neander,  with  many  others  were 
thus  led  most  fully  into  Christianity.  Yet  he  digested 
all  he  read  into  a  system  thoroughly  his  own. 


FARRAR   ON   SCHLEIERTHACHER.  87 

"  He  can  be  ranked  neither  with  the  Rationalists  nor 
with  the  Supernaturalists  of  his  generation,  but 
sought  a  higher  unity  of  both  these  opposite  systems." 
"  In  the  aim  of  his  life,  in  his  mixture  of  reason  and 
love  of  .  philosophy  and  criticism,  of  enthusiasm  and 
wisdom,  of  orthodoxy  and  heresy,  or  considering  the 
transitory  character  of  his  work,  and  the  permanence 
of  his  influence,  church  history  offers  no  parallel  to 
him  since  the  days  of  Origen."  * 

He  produced  one  of  the  most  important  theological 
systems  ever  conceived.  Religion  was  with  him 
placed  on  a  new  basis,  a  home  was  found  for  it  in  the 
human  mind  distinct  from  reason.  He  made  it  clear 
that  Religion  is  the  feeling  of  the  Infinite,  the  partic- 
ular felt  to  be  part  of  the  universal,  to  view  God  in  all 
things,  and  all  things  in  God.  The  old  rationalism 
was  shown  to  be  untrue,  because  radically  defective  in 
its  psychology.  Truth  in  religion  he  felt  was  not  to  be 
attained  alone  by  reasoning  but  chiefly  by  a  direct  insight 
which  he  calls  Christian  consciousness  answering  to 
what  evangelical  men  have  been  wont  to  call  Christian 
experience.  Piety  he  makes  to  consist  in  the  emotional 
feeling  of  dependence  on  the  Infinite,  not  on  niere 
morality,  whUe  the  intellectual  basis  of  Theology,  he 
lays,  in  a  faith  or  intuition  which  apprehends  God  and 

*  Farrar,  Lcct.  6. 


88  SCHLEIERMACHER. 

truth  and  critical  faculties  which  act  upon  the  matter 
presented  and  thus  form  the  Science  of  Religion. 

Christianity  he  considered  as  a  feeling  of  depen- 
dence upon  Christ,  and  an  intellectual  appreciation  of 
Christ's  work.  The  Church  existed  before  the  New 
Testament  Scriptures  which  are  the  records  of  Chris- 
tian truth,  and  a  witness  to  the  religious  consciousness 
of  Apostolic  times.  They  were  written  for  believers. 
Although  thoroughly  a  Protestant,  he  was  so  far 
Catholic  as  to  make  the  collective  Christian  conscious- 
ness the  ultimate  standard  of  faith,  just  as  in  art  or  in 
morals,  he  regarded  the  intuitions  of  human  nature  the 
final  appeal. 

He  denied  the  infallibility  of  the  Inspiration  of  the 
Bible,  yet  not  reducing  it  to  genius,  but  an  awakening 
and  excitement  of  the  religious  consciousness,  different 
in  degree  rather  than  in  kind  from  the  pious  inspirations 
or  intuitive  feelings  of  holy  men.  He  held  firmly  to 
the  historical  verity  of  the  Life  of  Christ,  and  made 
faith  in  him  as  one  with  the  Father,  the  brightness  of 
his  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person  in  the 
Sabbelian  method  of  conception,  essential.  At  the 
same  time,  as  the  ideal  of  humanity  was  actualized  in 
his  life  on  earth,  to  attain  to  the  realization  of  this, 
'  was  to  be  the  great  Christian  aim  and  struggle. 

On  the  Old  Testament  he  never  lectured,  regarding 
it  as  containing  the  history  of  the  growth  of  religious 


DE   WETTE.  89 

life  among  the  Jews,  and  a  Preface  so  far  to  the  stock 
on  which  Christianity  was  at  first  grafted.  But  he 
develops  in  his  "  Dogmatics "  the  whole  system  of 
Christian  faith  as  a  description  of  the  religious  con- 
sciousness or  experience  determined  by  a  vital  tmion 
of  the  soul  with  the  sinless  and  perfect  Saviour.  He 
made  less  of  miracles  than  doctrine  as  an  evidence  of 
Christianity,  yet  drew  attention  to  it  as  something 
more  than  a  single  republication  of  natural  religion, 
just  as  Christian  consciousness  of  the  Redemption  of 
the  soul,  by  a  union  of  man  with  God,  through  one- 
ness with  the  Redeemer,  is  more  than  mere  moral 
experience. 

2.  Of  the  coadjutor  of  Schleiermacher,  De  Wette, 
less  need  be  said  here.  His  views  of  Inspiration  were 
quite  as  free  as  those  of  Schleiermacher,  and  perhaps 
rather  more  fully  developed  in  his  Criticisms  on  the 
Old  Testament  and  on  the  New.  In  regard  to  the 
former,  he  first  carried  the  documentary  theory  of  the 
Pentateuch  to  practical  and  positive  results.  About  a 
century  ago  it  had  been  proved  by  a  Frenchman, 
Astruc,  that  the  use  of  the  term  Elohim,  God,  in  the 
first  chapter  of  Genesis,  and  to  the  end  of  the  third 
verse  of  the  second  chapter,  followed  by  the  use  of 
Jehovah  Elohim,  Lord  God,  through  the  rest  of  the 
second,  was  due  to  the  fact,  that  our  book  of  Genesis 
was  composed  of  at  least  two  pre-existiiig  doeuments. 


90  DE  WETTE. 

As,  however,  he  supposed  that  Moses  produced  the 
book  in  its  present  form,  this  occasioned  no  greater 
necessary  shocii  against  the  most  verbal  theory  of  ple- 
nary Inspiration,  than  other  extracts  inserted  into  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments.  But  De  Wette  pushed  the 
investigation  of  this  subject  much  further,  aiming  to 
gef^ositive  proof  from  it,  as  to  the  age  in  which  the 
Pentateuch  was  written.  In  many  points,  he  was  mis- 
taken, but  the  result  of  the  whole  has  been  a  general 
conviction  among  competent  scholars,  that  the  Penta- 
teuch was  called  by  the  name  of  Moses,  not  in  the 
sense  of  his  being  the  author  of  it,  but  because  his 
labors  were  its  chief  subject.  The  Psalms  in  like 
manner  are  some  of  them  Jehovistic,  and  some  Elo- 
histic,  consisting,  indeed,  of  five  collections  no  doubt  of 
different  dates.  The  first  collection,  Psalm  1  to  41 
has  the  word  Elohim  15  times,  and  Jehovah  272, 
while  the  second  collection.  Psalm  42  to  ^2  has 
Elohim  164  times  and  Jehovah  30.  In  one  case  Psalms 
14  and  53,  the  same  psalm  substantially  has  been 
bound  up  with  both  collections,  only  that  one  has 
Elohim,  God,  in  most  instances,  where  the  other  has 
Jehovah,  Lord. 

In  his  criticisms  on  the  New  Testament,  De  Wette 
is  equally  free.  .  The  third  Gospel,  and  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  he  considers  as  the  production  in  their  pres- 
ent state,  of  one  author  or  editor,  but  as  written  in  the 


NEANDER.  91 

parly  part  of  the  second  century,  though  compiled 
egpecially  so  far  as  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  is  con- 
cerned, from  documents  pre-existing  and  contemporane- 
ous. Thus  he  supposes  that  Acts  16  and  21,  where 
the  first  person  is  used,  —  "?re  that  were  of  Paul's 
company,"  was  part  of  the  journal  of  Timothy  or 
Luke  or  some  other  companion  of  St.  Paul,  incorporated 
into  the  narration  o£  the  correspondent  of  Theophilus. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  De  Wettc  wrote  at  the 
dying  out  of  the  old  school  of  Rationalists,  the  impress 
of  whose  opinions  upon  him  is  very  marked.  Yet  he 
himself  did  much  to  destroy  them,  for  although  he  did 
not  believe  in  miracles,  he  loved  and  revered  Chris- 
tianity intensely,  and  led  others  to  go  much  further  in 
that  direction  than  he  himself  went,  and  even  in  Bib- 
lical Criticism,  to  advance  nearer  to  Orthodox  views. 
De  Wette  in  fact  seems  to  study  the  whole  Bible 
more  for  the  sake  of  its  literature,  and  as  a  witness  of 
the  opinions  held  by  the  writers,  than  with  the  feeling 
of  its  authority.  He  prepared  the  way  for  a  race  of 
critics  more  reverend  of  Christianity  than  himself. 
Such  a  man,  for  instance,  was  Neander. 

3.  This  noble  Christian,  a  Jew  by  birth,  a  follower 
and  admirer  of  Schleiermacher,  approached  the  Chris- 
tian religion  from  the  Platonic  philosophy.  He  was 
led  by  the  Christian  consciousness  to  rely  on  Christ  as 
the  head  and  centre  of  his  faith,  even  more  implicitly 


92  DR.   PRIESTLEY. 

and  devoutly  than  Schleiermacher.  And  this  seemed 
to  enable  him  to  receive  even  the  most  miraculous  por- 
tions of  the  life  of  Christ  with  reverence  and  faith,  not 
indeed  so  much  as  evidences  of  Christianity,  but  as 
those  wonders  which  must  naturally  be  expected  to 
attend  the  advent  of  such  a  character.  His  Life  of 
Christ,  written  really  in  answer  to  the  mythical  theory 
of  Strauss,  and  his  Planting  and  Training  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  show  how  closely  one  approaching  Chris- 
tianity from  the  stand  point  of  the  Platonic  reason,  and 
led  by  the  Spirit,  could  unite  at  last  in  heart  with  those 
who  viewed  it  from  the  stand  point  of  authority  alone. 

On  the  subject  of  Inspiration,  he  is  remarkably  de- 
cided. "  Of  this  I  am  certain,"  he  says,  "  that  the  fall 
of  the  old  form  of  the  doctrine  of  Inspiration,  and  in- 
deed of  many  other  doctrinal  prejudices,  will  not  only 
not  involve  the  fall  of  the  essence  of  the  Gospel,  but 
will  cause  it  no  detriment  whatever.  Nay,  I  believe 
that  it  will  be  more  clearly  and  accurately  understood." 
But  I  have  already  alluded  sutficiently  to  his  views. 

4.  If  from  Germany,  we  turn  now  to  England,  we 
shall  find  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  present  century, 
Dr.  Priestly  the  Unitarian,  stood  alone  and  attracted 
great  obloquy  by  denying  the  infallibility  of  some  of 
the  Scripture  reasonings  of  St.  Paul,  while  yet, 
so  great  was  his  faith  in  the  Divine  Authority  of  the 
New  Testament  as  containing  a  Revelation  from  God, 


DR.    PYE   SMITH.  93 

that  though  as  a  philosopher,  he  was  a  Materialist,  and 
of  course  denied  the  immateriality  or  natural  immor- 
tality of  the  soul,  yet  through  faith  in  Scripture,  he  died 
most  firmly  believing  in  a  resurrection.  "  Return  unto 
thy  rest  oh  my  soul,  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt  bountifully 
with  thee.  I  will  lay  me  down  and  sleep  until  I  aiuake 
in  the  morning  of  the  Resurrection;^''  —  such  was  the 
epitaph  prepared  by  himself.  The  author  of  these  pages 
has  often  read  and  pondered  over  it,  and  copied  it  from 
his  tombstone  in  the  grave  yard  at  Northumber- 
land, Pa. 

5.  Dr.  Pye  Smith  in  his  work  in  opposition  to  his 
views,  complains  of  Priestly's  opinions  on  Inspiration 
as  self  contradictory.  But  the  fact  is  that  Dr.  Pye 
Smith  lived  to  be  complained  of  by  his  Orthodox 
brethren  on  precisely  the  same  account.  He  rejected 
the  Song  of  Solomon  at  one  time,  and  the  universality 
of  the  deluge  at  another.  And  while  in  some  parts  of 
the  first  edition  of  his  work,  he  contends  against  Priestly 
for  what  he  calls  a  "  complete  inspiration,"  he  subse- 
quently says,  "  I  must  confess  that  this  hypothesis  of 
universal  verbal  inspiration  does  appear  to  me  to  be 
clogged  with  innumerable  difficulties  •  *  *  * 
it  deprives  all  translations  of  their  claim  to  the  author- 
ity of  Inspiration.  Hence  it  would  follow  that  the  gen- 
eral body  of  Christians  who  arc  under  a  necessity  of 
depending  on  translations,  are  iii  fact  destitute  of  any 


94  COLERIDGE. 

inspired  Scriptures."  And  with  a  general  approval,  he 
even  quotes  from  Stanley's  Life  of  Ai'nold,  the  asser- 
tion that  any  accurate,  precise,  and  sharply  defined  view 
of  Inspiration,  Arnold  had  not.  In  fact  he  seems  to 
have  wavered  much,  and  even  abandoned. in  the  latter 
part  of  his  life  the  strictness  of  his  earlier  views.  The 
destruction  of  five  hundred  thousand  men,  II  Chron. 
13 :  he  regards  as  incredible,  and  speaks  of  ,"  the  num- 
bers as  not  being  objects  of  inspiration  as  they  stand." 
"  These  facts  he  adds,  must  fearfully  affect  the  theory 
of  a  servile  literality  of  Inspiration."* 

6.  But  it  was  Coleridge  who  may  be  said  to  have 
first  broken  ground  fully  and  fairly  on  this  subject  in- 
England.  During  his  life,  in  his  most  wondrous  con- 
versations, he  did  this,  hinting  it  in  his  writings.  He 
would  pour  out  his  deep,  convictions  that  the  line  of 
demarcation  between  the  primitive  gifts  of  Spiritual 
Inspiration  and  the  Inspirations  of  the  Spint  now,  was 
a  line  drawn  without  authority.  Edward  Irving,  from 
these  views  gathered  from  his  conversations,  started 
off  into  absurdities  that  disgusted  him.  Another  went, 
after  his  death,  into  opposite  yet  greater  extremes.  Yet 
he  ever  used  to  maintain  that  a  deep  religious  insight 
into  causes  was  the  true  prophetic  foresight  of  events, 
thus  aiming  to  elevate  the  natural,  and  so  unite  it  with 
the  supernatural.  After  his  death,  the  Confessions  of 
*  Book  I,  Chap.  2,  Notes  Appendix, 


SF^EN   LETTEES.  95 

aji  Inquiring  Spirit  gave  the  true  key  note  of  harmony 
to  the  theological  efforts  of  his  whole  life.  This  has 
proved  the  most  potential  of  all  his  v^^itings,  producing 
a  vital  change  among  the  English  clergy,  in  many  cases 
improving  in  the  highest  degree. 

His  seven  letters  on  Inspiration,  left  in  manuscript 
at  his  death,  are  intended  to  solve  this  question, 
"  Whether  it  is  expedient  to  insist  on  a  belief  of  the 
Divine  Origin  and  Authority  of  all  and  every  part  of 
tlie  Canonical  Scriptures,  as  a  first  principle  of  Chris- 
tian faith,  or  whether  the  due  appreciation  of  the 
Scriptures  collectively,  may  not  be  more  safely  relied 
on  as  the  result  and  consequence  of  the  belief  in 
Christ."  "  I  have  perased,  he  says,  books  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  and  have  found  words  for  my 
inmost  thoughts,  songs  for  my  joy,  utterances  for  hid- 
den giiefs,  and  pleadings  for  my  shame  and  my  feeble- 
ness. Whatever  finds  7ne,  bears  witness  for  itself  that 
it  has  proceeded  from  a  Holy  Spirit.  Here,  perhaps,  I 
might  have  been  content  to  rest,  if  I  had  not  learned 
that,  as  a  Christian,  I  cannot,  must  not  stand  alone, 
or  if  I  had  not  known  that  more  was  required  by  the 
churches  collectively  ever  since  the  Council  of  Nice." 
In  the  second  letter,  he  says  that  there  is  more  in  the 
Bible  that  finds  him  than  he  has  experienced  in  all 
other  books  put  together,  and  at  greater  depths  of  his 
being ;  and  that  whatever  thus  finds  him,  brings  with 


96  CONFESSIONS   OF 

it  an  irresistible  evidence  of  having  proceeded  from  the 
Holy  Spirit,  —  dictated  by  an  infallible  Intelligence. 
Thus  he  receives  the  essential  truths  of  Christianity 
from  an  inward  conviction.  But  as  to  the  book,  he 
believes  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  did  come  to  Sam- 
uel, Isaiah  and  others,  and  says,  "  I  believe  the  writer, 
in  whatever  he  himself  relates  of  his  own  authority, 
■and  of  its  origin."  But  he  cannot  find  any  such  claim 
as  the  doctrine  of  universal  and  verbal  infallibility 
made  by  the  Scriptures  explicitly  or  by  implication, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  they  refer  t6  other  documents, 
and  express  themselves  as  sober  minded,  veracious 
thinkers.  The  passages  on  which  this  sort  of  plenary 
inspiration  is  based  are  few  and  incidental,  referring, 
with  perhaps  one  exception, —  11  Peter  3:  16,  —  only 
to  the  Old  Testament.  The  conclusion  so  obviously 
involves  a  petitio  principii,  that  he  does  not  think  the 
doctrine  proved  even  in  regard  to  the  whole  of  the  Old 
Testament,  especially  as  we  know  not  the  time  of  the 
formation  and  closing  of  the  Canon. 

He  says,  that  at  no  period  was  it  the  judgment  of 
the  Jewish  Church  respecting  the  Canonical  books  of 
the  Old  Testament,  that  they  were  all  equally  or  in- 
fallibly inspired.  It  was  from  the  Jewish  Rabbis,  he 
thinks,  who  strained  their  fancies  in  contending  for  a 
perfection  in  the  Revelation  given  by  Moses  in  the 
Pentateuch  alone,  that  the  Christian  founders  of  this 


AN    INQUmiNG    SPIRIT.  97 

doctrine  have  borrowed  their  notions  and  phrases  in 
regard  to  the  entire  Bible.     Between  the  Mosaic  and 
the  Pi'ophetic  Inspii-ation,  they  asserted  such  a  differ- 
ence as  amounts  to  a  diversity.     And  between  both 
the  one  and  the  other,  and  the  remaining  books  of  the 
Old   Testament,  called  the  Hagiographa,  the  interval 
was  wider  still,  and  the  inferiority  in  kind,  and  not 
only  in  degree,  was  unequivocally  expressed.     "  The 
language  of  the  Jews  respecting  the  Hagiographa  will 
be  found  to  differ  little,  if  at  all,  from  that  of  religious 
persons  among  ourselves,  when  speaking  of  an  author 
abounding   in   gifts,   stirred   up   by   the    Holy    Spirit, 
Meriting  under  the  influence  of  special  gi-ace  and  the 
like."     Mr.  Coleridge  feels  that  there  is  every  distinc- 
tion between  saying,  "  the  Bible  contains  the  religion 
revealed  by  God,"  and  "whatever  is  contained  in  the 
Bible   is   religion,  and  was  revealed   by  God."     The 
Bible  is  the  appointed  conservatory,  an  indispensable 
criterion,  and  a  continual  source  and  support  of  true 
belief,  but  not  the  only  source,  not  that  which  consti- 
tutes the   Christian  religion.     "  I  prize  and  reverence 
this  sacred  library  as  of  aU  outward  means  and  con- 
servatives of  Christian   faith  and  practice,  the  surest 
and  the  most  reflective  of  the  inward  Word.     I  hold 
that  the  Bible  contains  the  religion  of  Christians,  but 
dare  not  say,  that  whatever  is  contained  in  the  Bible  is 
the  Christian  religion,  and  shrink  from  aU  questions 


98  CONFESSIOIiS   OP 

respecting  the  comparative  worth  aiid  efScacy  of  the 
wiitten  word,  as  weighed  against  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel,  the  discipline  of  the  churches,  the  continued 
succession  of  the  ministry,  and  the  communion  of 
Saints,  lest,  by  comparing,  I  should  seem  to  detach 
tJiem." 

He  thinks  that  "  in  all  ordinary  cases,  the  Icnowledge 
and  belief  of  the  Christian  religion,  should  precede  the 
study  of  the  Hebrew  Canon.  Indeed,  with  regard  to 
both  Testaments,  I  consider  oral  catechismal  instruc- 
tion as  the  preparative  provided  by  Clnist  himself  in 
the  establishment  of  a  visible  Church.  To  make  the 
Bible,  apart  from  the  truths  and  doctrines  and  spiritual 
experiences  contained  therein,  the  subject  of  a  special 
article  of  faith,  I  hold  an  unnecessary  abstraction 
which  in  too  many  instances,  has  the  effect  of  substi- 
tuting a  barren  acquiescence  in  the  letter,  for  the  lively 
faith  that  coraeth  by  hearing.  Who  shall  dare  enjom 
aught  else  as  a  matter  of  saving  faith,  besides  the  truths 
that  appertain  to  salvation  ?  The  imposers  take  on  them- 
selves a  heavy  responsibility.  They  ante-date  questions 
and  thus  in  all  cases  aggravate  the  difficulty  of  an- 
swering them  satisfactorily.  They  convert  things  tri- 
fling or  indifferent,  into  mischievous  pretexts  for  the 
wanton,  fearful  difficulties  of  the  weak,  and  formidable 
objections  of  the  enquiring." 

It   is,   he    thinks,   quite   out   of    time    to    put   the 


INQUmiNG   SPIRIT.  99 

affinnation  after  enumerating  all  the  articles  of  the 
Catholic  faith,  "and  further  you  are  bound  to  be- 
lieve with  equal  faith,  as  having  the  same  immediate 
and  mii-aculous  derivation  from  God,  whatever  else  you 
shall  hereafter  read  in  ^ny  of  the  sixty-six  books  collected 
in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  —  I  would  never 
say  this.  But  where  I  saw  a  desire  to  believe,  and  a 
beginning  of  love  of  Christ,  I  would  say,  there  are 
likewise  sacred  writings,  which,  taken  in  connection 
with  the  institution  and  perpetuity  of  a  visible  Church,  all 
believers  revere  as  the  most  precious  boon  of  God,  next 
to  Christianity  itself,  and  attribute  both  their  commu- 
nication and  preservation  to  an  especial  Providence. 
In  them  you  will  find  all  the  revealed  truths  which 
have  been  set  forth  and  offered  to  you,  clearly  and  cir- 
cumstantially recorded,  with  examples,  maxims,  hymns 
and  prayers,  in  all  which  you  will  recognize  the 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  a  conviction  increas- 
ing with  the  growth  of  your  own  faith  and  spiritual 
experience." 

"  We  assuredly  believe  that  the  Bible  contains  all 
truths  necessary  to  salvation,  and  that  therein  is  pre- 
served the  undoubted  word  of  God.  Besides  these 
express  oracles,  and  immediate  revelations,  there  are 
Scriptures  which  to  every  soul  and  conscience,  bear 
irresistible  evidence  of  the  Divine  Spirit  assisting  and 
actuating  the  authors.     And  if  in  that  small  portion  of 


100  Coleridge's  ylews 

the  Bible  which  stands  in  no  necessary  connection  with 
the  laiown  and  especial  ends  and  purposes  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, there  should  be  a  few  apparent  errors,  resulting 
from  the  state  of  knowledge  then  existing,  jerrors  which 
the  best  and  holiest  men  might  entertain  uninjm-ed, 
and  must  have  entertained  without  miraculous  inter- 
vention,—  be  it  so,  what  then?  The  absolute  infalli- 
bility of  the  inspired  writers  in  matters  altogether 
foreign  to  the  objects  and  purposes  of  then*  inspiration, 
is  no  part  of  my  creed,  and  if  a  professed  divine 
should  follow  the  doctrine  of  the  Jewish  Church  so  far 
as  not  to  attribute  to  the  Hagiographa  the  same 
height  and  fullness  of  Inspiration,  as  in  the  law  and 
prophets,  I  feel  no  warrant  to  brand  him  a  heretic.  If 
I  say,  use  the  Old  Testament  to  express  the  affections 
excited,  and  to  confirm  the  faith  and  morals  taught 
you  in  the  New,  and  leave  all  the  rest  to  the  students 
and  professors  of  Theology  and  Church  history,  —  you 
profess  only  to  be  a  Christian,  —  am  I  tlius  misleading 
my  brother  in  Christ?" 

"  This  I  believe  of  my  own  dear  experience,  that  the 
more  tranquilly  an  inquner  takes  up  tlie  Bible,  as  he 
would  any  other  body  of  ancient  writings,  the  livelier 
and  steadier  wnll  be  his  impressions  of  its  superiority 
to  all  other  books.  And  all  other  knowledge  will  be 
valuable  in  his  eyes,  in  proportion  as  it  helps  him  to  a 
better  understanding   of  the    Bible.      Would    I   then 


OF   INSPIRATION.  101 

withhold  the  Bible  from  the  cottager  and  the  artizan? 
Heaven  forefend.  The  fairest  flower  that  ever  clomb 
up  a  cottage  window,  is  not  so  fair  a  sight  to  my  eyes 
as  the  Bible  gleaming  through  its  lower  panes.  Let  it 
be  but  read,  as  by  such  men  it  used  to  be  read,  when 
they  came  to  it  as  a  ground  covered  with  manna,  even 
the  bread  which  the  Lord  had  given  for  his  people  to 
eat;  where  he  that  had  gathered  much  had  nothing 
over,  and  he  that  gathered  little  had  no  lack.  They 
gathered,  every  man  according-  to  his  eating-^ 

The  main  cn-or  of  Bibliolatry,  Mr.  Coleridge  thinks, 
consists  in  the  confounding  of  two  distinct  conceptions: 
Revelation  by  the  eternal  Word,  and  actuation  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  In  this  way,  he  remarks,  the  term  Inspi- 
ration has  acqviired  a  double  sense.  "  Between  the 
first  sense,  that  is  Inspired  Revelation,  and  the  highest 
degree  of  Communion  with  the  Spirit,  that  every 
Christian  is  instructed  to  pray  for,  there  is  a  positive 
difference  in  kind.  Of  this  first  land  arc  the  law  and 
the  prophets,  no  jot  or  tittle  of  which  can  pass  unful- 
filled, for  they  wrote  of  Christ,  and  shadowed  the 
everlasting  Gospel.  But  with  regard  to  the  second 
kind  of  Inspiration,  neither  the  so  called  Hag-iog'rapha, 
or  holy  writers  themselves,  nor  any  fair  interpretations 
of  Scripture-  assert  any  such  absolute  diversity  from 
that  of  the  pious  Christians  of  all  ages,  or  enjoin  the 
belief  of  any  greater  difference  of  degree  than  the  ex- 


102  SEVEN   LETTERS. 

perience  of  the  Christian  world,  growing  out  of  the 
comparison  of  these  Scriptures  with  other  works  hol- 
den  in  honor  by  the  Churches,  has  established.  And 
this  difference  I  admit." 

"  This  cannot,  he  thinks,  but  be  vague  and  unsatis- 
factory to  those  to  whom  the  Christian  religion  is 
wholly  objective,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  its  correspon- 
dent subjective.  *  *  *  But  as  all  power 
manifests  itself  in  the  harmony  of  correspondent 
opposites,  each  supposing  and  supporting  the  other,  so 
has. religion  its  Objective  or  historic  and  ecclesiastical 
pole,  and  its  Subjective  or  spiritual  and  individual 
pole."  In  the  miraculous  parts  of  religion,  he  thinks 
we  have  the  union  of  the  two. 

Mr.  Coleridge  concludes  by  expressing  the  belief 
that  modern  theologians  too  often,  instead  of  enquiring 
after  truth  in  the  confidence  that  whatever  is  truth 
must  be  fruitful  of  good  to  all  who  are  in  him  who 
is  true,  seek  with  vain  precautions  to  guard  agflinst 
the  possible  inferences  which  perverse  and  distempen^d 
minds  may  pretend,  whose  whole  Christianity,  do 
what  we  will,  is  and  will  remain  nothing  but  a 
pretense. 

I  have  thus  given,  almost  in  his  own  words,  the  sub- 
stance of  those  seven  remarkable  letters  of  Mr.  Cole- 
ridge on  Inspiration.  Few  will  consider  them  com- 
plete, or  consistent,  much  less  as  a  satisfactory  finality 


DR.    ARNOLD.  103 

upon  this  subject.  But  as  a  means  of  breaking  ground 
on  it,  as  Dr.  Arnold  well  said,  as  one  of  the  most  sug- 
gestive and  many  sided  treatises  on  this  subject  in  the 
English  language,  it  seemed  due  to  give  his  views, 
even  at  this  length.  Nearly  all  who  have  since  writ- 
ten, whether  Professor  Lee  in  his  work  on  Inspiration, 
Rev.  Edward  Garbett,  author  of  God's  Word  Within, 
or  any  one  else,  have  derived  their  best  germs  of 
thought  from  this  work,  even  where  trying  to  refute 
large  portions  of  it.  The  learning  and  boldness  and 
breadth  of  its  speculations,  together  with  the  humble 
and  submissive  piety  of  its  conclusions,  have  made  it 
the  key  to  all  that  has  been  written  since.  Few  will 
agree  witli  the  High  Church  views,  in  winch  it  would 
seem  to  have  led  him  to  take  refuge,  so  far  at  least  as 
a  necessary  line  of  Apostolic  succession  is  concerned. 
But,  as  we  shall  see,  the  Broad  Church  views  of  Dr. 
Arnold,  to  whom  we  now  turn,  will  show  how  little 
necessary  are  such  opinions  to  the  support  of  Cole- 
ridge's chief  thought. 

7.  Few  men  have  been  more  influential  in  forming 
the  present  state  of  religious  thought  in  England,  than 
the  late  Dr.  Arnold,  of  Rugby.  A  thorough  scholar,  a 
profound  thinker,  and  a  man  of  most  earnest  religious 
feeling,  he  hesitated  long  before  receiving  holy  orders, 
just  because  he  did  not  and  could  not  believe  in  the 
doctrine  of- plenary  Inspiration,  especially  in  regard  to 


104  Arnold's  influence. 

certain  portions  of  the  Old  Testament.  The  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  however,  knowing  his  scruples 
and  respecting  them,  because  also  well  aware  of  his 
earnest  faith  in  Christianity  as  a  divine  system,  after  a 
full  ascertainment  of  his  opinions,  and  perhaps  sym- 
pathizing with  them,  offered  him  holy  orders.  He 
was  soon  after  chosen  Master  of  the  Rugby  School, 
where  he  died  at  the  age  of  forty-six,  after  having 
laid  the  foundation  of  greater  changes  and  progress 
in  the  Church  of  England,  than  perhaps  any  man  of 
his  day.  He  carried  his  love  of  Christianity  with  him 
so  earnestly  into  the  School,  that  he  sent  up  to  Ox- 
ford year  after  year  large  bodies  of  young  men  who 
proved  to  be 'the  best  scholars,  and  at  the  same  time, 
students  not  afraid  intellectually  to  defend  and  earn- 
estly to  carry  Christianity  with  them  even  at  Oxford. 
They  were,  as  a  class,  opposed  to  the  mixture  of 
scepticism,  pietism  and  shams  of  several  of  the  Pusey- 
ites,  then  rising  into  power;  and  were  distinguished 
by  their  broad  scholarly  views  of  Christianity  in  its 
relations  to  Universal  Religion.  Soon  they  formed  a 
conspicuous  party  at  Oxford,  hated  and  yet  dreaded 
alike  by  the  Evangelicals  on  the  one  side,  and  the 
Puseyites  on  the  other.  In  the  life  of  F.  W.  Robert- 
son, are  some  hints  of  what  he  then,  an  Evangelical 
Churchman  of  the  strictest  kind,  saw  and  felt  of  the 
influence  of  this  party  while  an  Oxford  student.     For 


Arnold's  views.  105 

he  heard  Dr.  Arnold  deliver  the  beginning  of  his  lec- 
tures on  Roman  history  there  amid  every  kind  of 
derison  and  contempt,  yet  saw  him  walk  up  to  his  desk 
with  the  quiet,  self  possessed  energy  of  a  man  who 
knows  what  he  is  about.  He  even  lived  to  see  his 
work  crowned  with  the  highest  success,  and  the  admi- 
ration of  the  whole  University,  as  the  honor  of  his 
age  and  country.  The  friend  of  Niebuhr  and  his 
follower  in  the  criticism  of  Roman  History,  he  pos- 
sessed even  a  safer  judgment  as  a  literary  critic,  and  a 
warmer,  sounder  heart  in  Biblical  matters  and  love  of 
Christianity. 

The  following  extract  from  a  letter  of  his  on  Cole- 
ridge's Confessions  of  an  Inquiring  Spirit,  will  best 
show  his  views  on  this  subject  of  Inspiration : 

"  Have  you  seen  Coleridge's  letters  on  Inspiration, 
which  I  believe  are  to  be  published  ?  They  are  well 
fitted  to  break  ground  on  that  momentous  question, 
which  involves  in  it  so  great  a  shock  to  existing 
notions ;  the  greatest  probably  that  has  ever  been 
given  since  the  discovery  of  the  falsehood  of  the 
Pope's  infallibility.  Yet  it  must  come,  and  will  end 
in  spite  of  the  fears  and  clamors  of  the  weak  and 
bigoted,  in  the  higher  exalting  and  more  sure  estab- 
lishing of  Christian  Truth."  * 

In  a  letter  from  Rev.  B.  Price  to  Dr.  Stanley,  the 
*  Life  of  Arnold,  p.  239. 


106  DR.    ARNOLD 

Editor  of  Dr.  Arnold's  life,  the  following  is  the  ac- 
count given  of  Dr.  Arnold's  views.  He  "  approached 
the  human  side  of  the  Bible  in  the  same  real  historical 
spirit,  with  the  same  method,  rules  and  principles  as  he 
did  Thucydides.  *  *  *  ^he  Bible  an- 
nounces an  historical  religion,  —  and  the  historic  ele- 
ment Arnold  judged  of  historically  by  the  established 
rules  of  history,  substantiating  the  general  veracity 
of  Scripture,  even  amidst  occasional  inaccuracies  of 
detail,  and  proposing  to  himself  the  reproduction  in 
the  language  and  forms  belonging  to  our  own  age  and 
therefore  familiar  to  us,  of  the  exact  mode  of  thinking 
and  feeling  and  acting,  which  prevailed  in  days  gone 
by.  But  was  this  all  ?  Nothing  could  be  further  from 
Dr.  Arnold's  feelings.  In  the  Bible  he  found  and 
acknowledged  an  oracle  from  God,  a  positive  and 
super-natural  revelation  made  to  man ;  —  an  imme- 
diate inspiration  of  the  Spirit.  But  he  came  upon  it 
historicaUy.  He  did  not  start  w'ith  any  preconceived 
theory  of  Inspiration,  but  rather  in  studying  the 
writings  of  those  who  were  commissioned  by  God  to 
preach  the  gospel,  he  met  with  the  fact  that  they 
claimed  to  be  sent  from  God,  to  have  a  message  from 
Him,  to  be  filled  with  the  Spirit.  Any  accurate,  pre- 
cise or  sharply  defined  theory  of  Inspiration,  to  the 
best  of  my  knowledge,  Arnold  had  not,  and  if  he  had 
been  asked   to  give  one,  I  think  he  vvould  have  an- 


ON   INSPIRATION.  107 

swered  that  the  subject  did  not  admit  of  one.  I  think 
he  would  have  been  content  to  realize  the  feelings  of 
those  who  heard  the  Apostles.  He  would  have  been 
sure  on  the  one  side  that  there  was  a  voice  of  God  in 
them,  whilst  on  the  other,  he  would  have  believed  that 
probably  no  one  in  the  apostolic  age,  could  have 
defined  the  exact  limits  of  inspiration.  Never  did  a 
student  feel  more  his  positive  faith,  his  sm'c  confidence 
that  the  Bible  was  the  word  of  God,  than  in  Arnold's 
hands."  Such  was  the  impression  of  his  views  left  on 
the  mind  of  a  pupil. 

Dr.  Arnold's  views  on  this  subject  are  partly  given 
in  his  Sermons  on  the  Christian  Life.  He  says,  "  If  a 
single  error  can  be  discovered  in  Scripture,  it  is  sup- 
posed to  be  fatal  to  the  credibility  of  the  whole.  This 
has  arisen  from  an  unwarranted  interpretation  of  the 
word  "  Inspiration,"  and  by  a  still  more  unwarranted 
inference.  An  inspired  work  is  supposed  to  mean  a 
work  to  which  God  has  communicated  his  own  per- 
fections, so  that  the  slightest  error  or  defect  of  any 
kind  in  it  is  inconceivable,  and  that  which  is  other  than 
perfect  in  all  points,  cannot  be  inspired.  This  is  the 
unwan'anted  interpretation  of  the  word  "  Inspiration." 
*  *  *  Surely  many  of  om*  words  and 
many  of  our  actions  are  spoken  and  done  by  the  inspi- 
ration of  God's  Spirit,  without  whom  we  can  do 
nothing  acceptable  to  God.     Yet  does  the  Holy  Spirit 


108  THE   SECOND    COMING. 

SO  inspire  us  as  to  communicate  to  us  his  own 
perfections?  Are  our  best  words  or  works  utterly  free 
from  error  or  from  sin  ?  All  inspiration  then  does  not 
destroy  the  human  and  fallible  part  in  the  nature  which 
it  inspires.  It  does  not  change  man  into  God."  *  Dr. 
Arnold,  therefore,  says  what  may  illustrate  his  view  of 
St.  Paul's  Inspiration.  "  This  gi*eat  Apostle  believed 
that  the  world  would  come  to  an  end  in  the  genera- 
tion then  existing.  *  »  *  Shall  we  then 
say  that  St.  Paul  entertained  and  expressed  a  belief 
which  the  event  did  not  verify  ?  We  may .  say  so 
safely  and  reverently  in  this  instance." 

Notwithstanding  the  many  great  names  that  have 
given  in  their  adhesion  to  this  opinion  in  Germany, 
i.  e.  that  Paul  had  mistaken  views  of  an  approaching 
millenium,  and  the  many  passages  which  may  be  quo- 
ted in  favor  of  it,  it  may  be  doubted  whether  any  fair 
interpretation  of  the  Second  Epistle  to  the  Thessalo- 
nians  can  be  framed  on  such  a  supposition.  For  it 
seems  entirely  to  have  been  written  for  the  purpose  of 
correcting  a  wrong  inference  as  to  his  views  drawn  from 
his  peculiar  mode  of  speaking  in  the  fourth  and  fifth 
chapters  of  the  First  Epistle.  In  tiie  fifth  verse  of  the 
second  chapter,  Second  Epistle,  he  tells  them  to  remem- 
ber that  when  he  was  with  them,  he  declared  that  the 
day  of  the  Lord  was  not  at  hand.  Unless  therefore, 
*  Sermons  on  the  Christian  Life,  p.  486-7.    Edition,  1841.    I/OiiQ. 


DEAN  Stanley's  view.  109 

what  he  meant  by  the  prior  falling  away,  and  the  revela- 
tion of  the  man  of  sin,  could  all  take  place  in  that  gen- 
eration, he  could  not  have  believed  as  Arnold  and  many 
others  have  supposed. 

On  the  other  hand.  Dr.  Lee's  criticism  on  Dr.  Ar- 
nold, that  "  his  statements  are  embarrassed  by  his  hav- 
ing continued  to  regard  as  identical,  specifically  different 
phases  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  are  unjust.  Whether  his 
views  are  right  or  wrong,  there  is  no  embarrassment 
about  them.  They  are  clear,  consistent  with  themselves, 
and  represent  the  views  of  Prof.  Maurice  and  several 
others  beside. 

8.  From  this  view  has  sprung  the  school  of  Broad 
Churchmen,  of  whom  perhaps  Dean  Stanley  may  be 
considered  one  of  the  best  representatives.  His  opin- 
ions of  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  have  been  judiciously 
stated  in  his  History  of  the  Jewish  Church. 

A  few  years  ago,  Dr.  Temple,  the  successor  of  Dr. 
Arnold  at  Rugby,  Drs.  Williams,  Jowett,  and  Baden 
Powell  found  themselves  brought  into  great  notoriety 
by  the  accidental 'Conspicuousness,  which  certain  Es- 
says and  Reviews  assumed  in  English  Theological 
Controversy.  These  Essays  had  stated  the  Broad 
Church  views  of  Inspiration  openly,  and  pushed  them 
to  consequences  that  Dr.  Ainold  would  have  been  far 
from  allowing ;  some  of  their  number  denying  mirac- 
ulous  interferences    and    the    Supernatural    in    tot^^. 


110  BISHOP   THOMPSON. 

Such  was  the   position  of  Rev.   Baden   Powell,  since 
deceased. 

9.  To  counteract  the  influence  of  these  Essaje, 
Dr.  Thompson,  now  Bishop  of  Gloucester,  procured 
the  writing  of  another  Series  of  Essays,  called  Aids  to 
Faith,  in  which  every  effort  was  mlde  to  support 
higher  views  of  Inspiration.  Many  of  these  WTitings 
are  of  great  learning  and  value.  While  arguing  for 
the  "  plenary  inspiration"  and  the  "complete  inspira- 
tion" of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  and  in  some 
places  seeming  to  maintain  that  this  rendered  the 
writers  absolutely  infallible  as  to  all  religious  topics, 
they  yet  allow  that  errors .  in  the  scientific  and  miscel- 
laneous matter  included  in  the  Bible  may  be  admitted 
as  possible  and  perhaps  as  actual.  Wliere,  however, 
the  line  is  to  be  drawn,  they  do  not  say.  In  fact,  what 
is  intended  is  for  a  practical  and  specific  object,  and  all 
not  tending  to  it  is  pushed  aside.  It  would  be  a  great 
mistake,  however,  to  suppose  the  Authors  of  these 
"  Aids  "  assert  a  belief  in  the  infallibility  of  the  Inspi- 
ration of  all  parts  of  the  Scripture,  though  they 
undoubtedly  would  have  done  so,  had  they  believed 
such  a  doctrine  tenable.*  Thus  viewed,  their  language 
proves  nothing  so  much  to  a  thoughtful  mind,  as  that 
in  the  English  Episcopal  Church,  the  leaders  of  the 
most  learning,  and  earnest  tendency  towards  Ortho- 
*  See  Essay  VII  on  Inspiration. 


BISHOP    COLENSO.  Ill 

doxy,   silently   give   up   as   hopeless,   the   attempt    to 
maintain  the  old  views  of  Scripture  infallibility. 

.  Indeed,  matters  would  seem  to  have  arrived  now  at 
the  point,  that  when  men  of  this  general  class  come  to 
examine  the  Scriptures  from  the  stand  point  of  sacred 
criticism  and  science,  they  naturally  find  and  avow  a 
much  greater  effect  produced  upon  the  language  of 
Scripture  through  the  human  element,  than  those  who 
read  it  simply  for  religious  purposes,  are  generally 
willing  to  concede. 

10.  Thus  Bishop  Colenso,  at  first  an  Evangelical 
man,  when  he  sat  down  to  translate  the  Bible  into  the 
Tulu  language,  and  to  explain  to  the  docile  natives,  for 
example,  how  all  the  birds,  beasts,  and  reptiles  from 
hot  and  cold  countries  came  to  Noah  into  the  ark,  and 
how  Noah  gathered  food  for  them  all,  was  guided  he 
says,  to  those  examinations  which  led  him  to  differ 
firom  the  common  view,  as  to  the  time  at  which  the 
Pentateuch  was  written,  and  its  strictly  historic  char- 
acter. 

11.  Dr.  Davidson,  after  being  the  eminent  Professor 
of  Biblical  Literature  among  the  Congregationalists, 
in  his  most  recent  Introduction  to  the  Old  Testament, 
protesting  that  "personal  religion  does  not  lie  in  the 
reception  of  intellectual  propositions  or  dogmas,  but 
in  the  emotions  of  the  heart  toward  God  and  man," 
declares  that  his  sole   ambition  is  to  be  the   humble 


112  DR.   DAVIDSON, 

expositor  of  God's  word  in  the  Bible,  and  to  cultivate 
in  his  Master's  service  the  one  talent  given  him.  Per- 
haps it  is  to  be  regretted  that  both  of  these  eminently 
learned  men,  accurate  in  their  scholarship  and  no 
doubt  sincere  in  their  apparent  purposes  and  piety, 
provoked  by  shallow,  ignorant  and  sometimes  insincere 
criticism,  have  allowed  themselves  unnecessarily  to 
wound  the  feelings  of  many  excellent  Christians,  by 
the  use  of  language  needlessly  offensive  in  regard  to 
sacred  things.  At  the  same  time,  they  both  come  to  con- 
clusions of  nearly  the  same  import,  i.  e.  that  the  Elohis- 
tic  portions  of  Genesis  were  not  written  until  about 
the  time  of  Samuel  and  perhaps  by  him,  and  that 
the  most  of  the  Pentateuch,  particularly  Deuteronomy 
was  written  about  the  time  of  Manasseh,  and  pub- 
lished when  found  in  the  cleaning  out  of  the  rubbish 
in  the  temple,  in  the  days  of  Josiah.  Both,  however, 
"  sincerely  believe  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  contain 
everything  necessary  to  salvation,  and  to  that  extent, 
have  the  direct  sanction  of  the  Almighty."  Dr. 
Davidson,  moreover,  is  fully  convinced  that  Moses 
committed  to  writing  not  only  the  ten  commandments, 
but  nearly  all  the  laws  of  the  Tabernacle  contained  in 
Exodus,  such  as  Ex.  21  to  23,  19 ;  and  25  to  31 ;  Lev. 
1  to  7 ;  and  11  to  16  ;  with  some  portion  of  the  Book 
of  Numbers.  These  he  ascribes  to  Moses,  not,  indeed, 
in  precisely  their   present   state,   but   as   incorporated 


ON   THE   PENTATEUCH.  113 

(perhaps  by  Samuel,)  into  the  Elohistic  document,  and 
thence  included  by  the  Editor  of  the  whole.  "  It  is 
now  an  acknowledged  result  of  scientific  criticism,  that 
Moses  did  not  write  the  Pentateuch  as  it  is.  The 
authority  of  the  work  is  not  impaired  on  that  account, 
though  persons  ignorant  of  the  true  learning  of  critical 
theology  may  think  so.  *  *  *  Those  who 
regard  the  record  as  the  depository  of  the  early  relig- 
ious traditions  of  the  Hebrews,  and  the  revelations 
vouchsafed  to  their  wisest  men,  who  look  upon  it  as 
embodying  the  divine  truth  possessed  by  that  race,  and 
preparing  the  way  for  a  higher  and  purer  dispensation 
do  not  destroy  the  authority  of  the  Pentateuch.  They 
do  not  undermine  the  pillars  of  Christianity.  To 
aflirm  that  they  do,  is  mischievous  absurdity.  They 
do  deny  the  infallibility  of  written  books,  as  well  as  the 
infallibility  of  the  persons  that  composed  them.  They 
do  hold  the  Mosaic  books  to  be  faithful  records  of  the 
ancient  Jews,  containing  sublime  views  of  the  Al- 
mighty Creator  and  his  works,  showing  a  pure  Mons- 
theism  to  have  been  the  faith  of  the  highest  minds 
among  the  old  Hebrews,  yet  with  imperfect  notions  on 
their  part  of  theology,  science,  art,  and  civilization. 
Christianity  stands  on  another  and  bt^tter  basis  than 
the  Mosaic  composition  of  the  Pentateuch.  It  has 
nothing  to  do  either  with  the  question  of  its  authorship 
or  documents.     It  is   not   injuriously  atfected   by   the 


114  DR.   DAVIDSON. 

discrepancies  observable  in  the  traditions  it  embodies. 
Moses  was  emphatically  a  law-giver,  not  an  historian, 
a  grand  spiritual  actor  in  the  life  drama  of  the  Israel- 
ites, who  founded  their  theocratic  institutions  under  the 
direct  guidance  of  the  Supreme."  Such  are  the  latest 
views  of  Dr.  Davidson  in  his  Introduction  to  the  Old 
Testament. 

It  must  be  confessed,  however,  that  in  proportion 
as  men  of  this  class  look  at  the  question  of  Inspira- 
tion for  merely  critical  purposes,  their  labors  seem  to 
end  in  a  comparatively  negative  work,  i.  e.  in  pulling 
down  our  reverence  for  the  accuracy  and  infallibility 
of  ^Scripture.  But  those  who  take  up  these  subjects 
practically,  seem  to  find  views  more  positive,  en- 
couraging and  elevating.  Even  while  admitting  all 
that  Davidson  or  Colenso  would  desire  in  theory, 
they  produce  a  widely  different  effect  upon  the  mind. 
"We  have  already  seen  that  Dr.  Stanley  no  less  than 
Bishop  Colenso  or  Dr.  Davidson,  admits  that  "the 
Pentateuch,  the  books-  of  Samuel,  Kings,  Chronicles 
and  Ezra  are  now  universally  acknowledged  in  their 
present  state  to  be  the  work  of  several  hands,"  and 
that  "  the  books  of  Moses,  Joshua,  Samuel  and  Job 
are  so  called  not  because  these  works  were  necessarily 
written  by  but  of  them  and  their  deeds."  And  yet  the 
first  effect  of  a  constructive  work  like  Stanley's  or 
Milman's  History  of  the  Jewish  Church,  is  very  differ- 


F.    W.    ROBERTSON.  115 

ent  from  the  analytic  writings  of  Davidson  or  Colenso. 
Yet  all  of  these  would  have  seemed  very  strange  a  few 
years  ago. 

12.  In  like  manner,  F.  W.  Robertson,  of  Brighton, 
in  the  thu-d  Sermon  of  the  first  Series,  "  On  Jacob's 
Wrestling,"  although  he  is  quite  as  candid  and  outspo- 
ken in  regard  to  the  local,  narrow  Jewish,  and  even 
mythical  character,  which  he  considers  the  narrative  of 
Jacob's  \\Testling  to  assume,  yet  elevates  our  conception 
and  makes  us  feel  the  reality  of  the  scene  which  then 
and  there  took  place.  His  views  of  the  shadow  and 
substance  of  the  Sabbath  in  the  sixth  Sermon,  may 
not  be  such  as  most  Christians  have  been  accustomed 
to,  but  all  must  feel  that  there  is  a  spiritual  life  in 
them,  and  a  positive  earnestness  tending  to  build  up 
and  not  to  destroy  the  Christian  life  and  faith. 

In  addition  to  what  I  have  already  quoted  from  his 
writings,  there  are  in  his  Life  and  Letters,  passages 
which  show  the  positive  and  constructive  quality  of  his 
views  on  Inspiration  in  connection  with  a  freeness  and 
boldness  pf  speculation  which  are  quite  rare.  Com- 
paring the  "  Excursion "  of  Anaxagoras  with  the 
writings  of  Moses,  and  with  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul, 
he  says,  "  The  Excursion  reveals  some  beautiful  truths 
of  our  moral. being,  but  by  how  much  our  spiritual  life 
is  higher  than  our  sensitive  and  moral,  so  much  are  the 
Epistles  above  the  Excursion  higher  in  kind,  and  high- 


116  F.    AV.    ROBERTSON. 

er  also  in  degree  of  Inspiration,  for  the  Apostles  claim 
in  matters  spiritual,  unerring  power  of  truth.  Newton's 
revelation  of  the  order  of  the  heavens,  grand  as  it  was, 
is  inferior  to  that  which  we  technically  term  Inspiration, 
by  how  much  one  single  human  soul  transcends  the 
whole  m.aterial  universe  in  value. 

"  I  think  it  all  comes  to  this ;  God  is  the  Father  of 
Lights,  the  King  in  his  beauty,  the  Lord  of  love.  All 
our  several  degrees  of  l^nowledge  'attained  in  these 
departments  are  from  Him.  One  department  is  higher 
than  another;  in  each  department  the  degi'ee  of 
knowledge  may  vary  from  a  glimmering  glimpse  to 
infallibility,  so  that  all  is  properly  inspiration,  but 
immensely  differing  in  value  and  in  degi-ee.  If  it  be 
replied  that  this  degrades  Inspiration,  by  classing  it 
with  things  so  common,  the  answer  is  plain  ;  a  sponge 
and  a  man  are  both  animals,  but  the  degrees  between 
them  are  incalculable. 

"I  think  this  view  of  the  matter  is  important,  be- 
cause in  the  other  way,  some  twenty  or  thirty  men 
in  the  world's  history,  have  had  special  communica- 
tion, miraculous  and  from  God.  In  this,  all  have  it, 
and  by  devout  and  earnest  cultivation  of  the  mind  and 
heart,  may  have  it  increased  illimitably.  This  is  really 
practical."  * 

Of    miracles,    and    their    value    as    evidences,    Mr. 

*  Life  of  Robertson,  Letter  53,  p.  271. 


p.    W.    ROBERTSON.  117 

Robertson  says :  "  In  John  14  :  11,  two  kinds  of  proof 
are  gh^en,  and  one  is  subordinated  to  the  other.     It  is 
quite  consistent  with    God's    wisdom   to  reveal    him- 
self to   the    senses  as  well   as  to  the  soul.         *"         * 
*         When  the  Eternal  Word  is  manifested  into 
the  world,  we  naturally  expect,  that  Divine  power  shall 
be  shown,  as  well  as  Divine  beneficence.     Miracles, 
therefore,  are  exactly  what  we  should   expect,  and   I 
own    a   great    corroboration    and    verification   of   his 
claims  to  sonship.     Besides,  they  started   and  aroused 
many  to  his  claims,  who   otherwise   would  not  have 
attended  to  them.     Still  the  great  truth  remains  that 
they  appealing  only  to  the  natural  man,  cannot  con- 
vey the  spiritual  certainty  of  truth,  v\'hich  the  spiritual 
man  alone  apprehends.     However,  as  the  natural  and 
spiritual  in  us,  are  both  from  God,  why  should  not  God 
have  spoken  both  to  the  natural  and  spiritual  part  of 
us,  and  why  should  not  Christ  appeal  to  the  natural 
works,  subordinate  always  to  the  spiritual  self-eviden- 
cing of  Truth  itself.         *         *         *  jyjg^  try,  you 
say,  to  find  Evidences  for  Faith  in  Reason,  rather  than 
for  Reason  in  Faith.     If  there  has   been  a  single  prin- 
ciple which  I  have  taught  more  emphatically  than  any 
other,  it  is  that  not  by   Reason,  (  meaning  by  Reason, 
the  understanding,)  but  by  the  Spirit,  that  is  the  heart 
trained  in  meekness  and  love  by  God's  spirit,  truth  can 
be  judged  of  at  all.     I  hold  that  the  attempt  to  rest 


118  MR.  westcott's  views. 

Christianity  upon  miracles  and  fulfilments  of  prophecy, 
is  essentially  the  vilest  rationalism,  as  if  the  trained 
intellect  of  a  lawyer,  which  can  investigate  evidence, 
were  that  to  which  is  trusted  the  soul's  salvation,  or  as 
if  the  evidence  of  the  senses  were  more  sure  than  the 
intuitions  of  the  spirit  to  which  spiritual  truths,  almost 
alone  appeal.  It  is  not  in  words,  though  they  are  con- 
stant, but  in  the  deepest  convictions  and  first  principles 
of  my  soul  that  I  feel  the  failure  of  intellect  in  this 
matter."  * 

13.  Mr  Westcott  in  his  admirable  Introduction  to 
the  four  Gospels,  has  a  Chapter  on  Inspiration,  which, 
while  defending  the  "  completeness  "  and  what  he  terms 
"  plenary "  character  of  it,  objects  equally  to  what  he 
terms  the  Calvinistic  and  some  modern  views  of  it. 
He  thinks  a  medium  can  be  found  between  them; 
While  earnestly  contending  for  the  "  real  existence  of 
such  an  influence,"  he  also  thinks  that  the  Divine  and 
human  elements  cannot  be  separated,  but  that  it  is 
Dynamical  and  not  Mechanical.  His  statements  are 
guarded,  and  require  to  be  carefully  read  to  be  appre- 
ciated. He  shows  by  quotations,  that  while  the  early 
Christians  all  believed  fully  in  the  Inspiration  of 
the  Scriptures,  that  so  they  did  also,  and  perhaps 
equally,  in  that  of  the  Church ;  although  no  one  sup- 
poses them  to  have  considered  the  Church  theoretically 
infallible. 

*  Vol.  2,  Letter  53,  p.  146-9. 


HISTORY    OF   FREE   THOUGHT.  119 

14.  In  Note  fifty,  at  the  close  of  the  Critical  His- 
tory of  Free  Thought,  its  learned  author  Rev.  ]\Ir,  Farrar, 
says  that  the  different  Theories  that  have  been  held 
in  regard  to  Inspkation,  may  be  arranged  under  three 
heads :  I.  The  belief  in  a  full  Inspiration.  11.  A  dis- 
position to  admit  that  the  Inspiration  ought  to  be 
regarded  as  appertaining  to  the  proper  material  of 
the  revelation,  i.  e.  religion,  but  at  the  same  time  to 
maintain  firmly  the  full  inspiration  of  the  religious 
elements  of  Scripture.  III.  To  admit  that  the  book 
does  not  even  in  its  religious  element,  differ  in  kind 
from  other  books,  but  only  in  degree.  Under  the' 
second  head,  he  makes  a  subdivision,  i.  e.  that  while 
maintaining  the  full  inspiration  of  the  religious  ele- 
ment, some  go  so  far  as  to  avow  that  its  revelation 
would  not  be  lessened  if  errors  were  admitted  in  the 
scientific  and  miscellaneous  matter  which  accompanies 
it,  while  others  seem  to  say  nothing  about  this  last. 
For  himself,  he  only  says  that  he  "  dissents  entirely 
from  the  third  of  these  views,"  from  which  I  suppose 
it  may  be  infen*ed  that  he  holds  to  the  second. 

There  is,  however,  a  great  want  of  clearness  in  this 
arrangement,  and  especially  in  the  statement  of  each 
class  of  views,  unless  it  be  the  last.  For  our  purpose, 
a  much  simpler  and  better  arrangement  of  the  views 
which  have  been  here  alluded  to,  is  as  follows  : 

I.  There   are   those   who  hold  that  the  Inspiration 


120  CLASSIFICATION    OF   VIEWS. 

of  Scripture  secures  its  absolute  infallibility  in  every 
part,  as  to  its  science,  its  history,  and  its  theological  or 
religious  elements. 

II.  There  are  those  who  consider  the  scientific  and 
historical  matter  of  the  Bible,  as  colored  by  the  age 
and  opinions  of  the  writer,  and  therefore  not  rendered 
infallible  by  Inspiration,  while  yet  the  religious  por- 
tions are  thus  absolutely  and  entirely  infallible. 

III.  There  are  those  who  look  upon  Inspiration  as 
a  positive  and  not  a  negative  Divine  power ;  as  not 
destroying  but  elevating  the  human  element  in  man ; 
as  not  conferring  a  necessary  or  absolute  immunity 
from  all  error  or  infirmity,  but  as  guiding  the  authors 
and  quickening  their  writings  with  a  divine  life,  and 
clothing  them  with  a  Divine  authority  similar  precisely 
to  that  with  which  the    Apostles  themselves  were  en- 

-dowed,  when  commissioned  to  institute  and  establish 
the  primitive  Church.  That  is  to  say,  their  inspiration 
gave  them  certain  Divine  powers  as  a  whole,  leaving 
their  individual  and  human  errors  to  be  eliminated  by 
degrees  as  necessary  for  the  life  of  truth,  just  as  St. 
Paul  said  of  himself:  "  Wc  have  this  treasure  in 
earthen  vessels,  that  the  excellency  of  the  power  may 
be  of  God  and  not  of  us." 

All  the  views  now  held  by  those  who  regard  Inspi- 
ration as  any  real  power,  may,  we  think,  be  classified 
under  one  of  these  three  heads,  although  in  regard  to 


CLASSIFICATION.  121 

the  last,  some  would  like  more  and  some  less  to  trace 
the  analogy  of  this  Divine  power  in  Nature  or  in 
Grace,  natural  or  supernatural. 

This  appears  to  be  as  close  a  classification  as  it  is 
necessary  or  possible  at  present  to  make  of  the  various 
opinions  current,  at  least  until  we  have  determined 
which  of  these  views  must  command  our  assent. 
Having  been  led  myself  from  an  adherence  to  the  first 
gradually  and  steadily  to  the  conviction  that  the  last 
alone  is  tenable,  I  proceed  though  with  much  reluc- 
tance to  point  out  some  of  the  difficulties  attending 
the  two  former  theories  of  Inspiration.  They  may  be 
considered  as  either  External  or  Internal. 
6 


122  CHRONOLOGY. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE    EXTERNAL  DIFFICULTIES  AS  TO  INFALLIBILITY  OF 
THE   OLD  TESTAMENT   INSPIRATION,  CONSIDERED. 


THE  Chronology  made  use  of  in  the  present  Hebrew 
Old  Testament  Scriptures,  and,  indeed,  the  whole 
subject  of  its  numbers  afiord  strong  indications  of  im- 
portant alterations  and  mistakes,  so  that  they  cannot 
be  depended  upon  as  beiog  infallible  now,  or  in  fact 
ever  having  been  so.  We  need  not  here  go  into  the 
profounder  or  more  difficult  points  of  this  subject,  but 
touch  only  on  those  plainer  difficulties  admitted  by  all. 
Those  who  wish  to  follow  out  some  of  these  matters 
more  minutely,  can  take  up  Colenso,  or  Ewald,  or 
De  Wette.  But  it  is  well  known,  that  the  present 
Hebrew  Bibles,  which  form  the  basis  of  Archbisliop 
Usher's  system  of  Chronology,  would  make  the  birtli 
of  Adam  to  have  taken  place  5874  years  ago  from 
the    present   time    (1867,)    or    4004    years  before  our 


CHRONOLOGY.  123 

present  Anno  Domini.  But  Dr.  Hailes  following  the 
Septuagint,  makes  the  birth  of  Adam  7281  years  ago, 
or  5411  years  B.  C,  a  difference  of  1407  years.  This 
difference  is  after  all  not  a  serious  matter  for  us  as 
Christians.  It  is  nothing  to  the  new  Chronological 
difficulties  opened  up  by  science,  but  the  manner  in 
which  it  has  been  brought  about,  gives  it  an  impor- 
tance in  regard  to  the  question  on  hand,  it  would 
not  otherwise  possess.  Exactly  six  hundred  years  of 
it  occurs  between  the  time  of  Adam  and  of  the  flood, 
in  this  way  :  If  we  suppose,  (as  I  do,)  that  the  Septuagint 
Chronology  is  the  more  connect,  or  original,  then  in  six 
places  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  Genesis,  one  hundred 
years  has  been  taken  from  the  lives  of  the  Patriarchs, 
before  the  birth  of  their  eldest  son,  and  the  same  num- 
ber of  years  has  been  put  on  to  the  length  of  their 
lives  afterwards,  thus  making  the  whole  amount  of 
years  that  they  lived,  precisely  the  same.  But  the  age 
of  the  world  at  the  time  of  the  flood  becomes  so 
much  less.  The  object  of  this  alteration,  as  w^ell  as 
the  time  of  it,  will  be  shown  in  a  little  while ;  the 
fact  and  the  manner  of  the  change,  is  what  we  must 
first  of  all  point  out. 

In  Gen.  5 :  3—5,  the  Hebrew  Text  con-esponds  with 
our  English  translation  :  "  Adam  lived  an  hundred  and 
thirty  years,  and  begat  a  son,"  —  Seth,  "  and  the  days 
of  Adam  after  he  had  begotten  Seth,  were  cig-ht  hun- 


124  CHRONOLOGY 

dred  years,  and  he  begat  sons  and  daughters.  And 
all  the  days  that  Adam  lived,  were  nine  hundred  and 
thkty  years,  and  he  died." 

But  the  Septuagint  reads,  "  Adam  lived  tivo  hun- 
dred and  thirty  years  and  begat  a  son," —  Seth,  "  And 
the  days  of  Adam  after  he  had  begotten  Seth,  were 
seven  hundred  years,  and  he  begat  sons  and  daughters. 
And  all  the  days  that  Adam  lived,  were  nine  hundred 
and  thirty  years,  and  he  died."  Here,  it  will  be  ob- 
served, is  a  jjurposed  alteration  of  the  text,  of  one 
hundi'ed  years  either  in  the  Hebrew  or  the  Septuagint 
Chronology.  Two  changes  are  made,  each  of  one 
hundred  years,  that  counterbalance  each  other  so  far  as 
the  age  of  the  Patriarch  is  concerned,  but  make  a 
purposed  difference  of  a  century  in  the  age  of  the 
world. 

Precisely  the  same  change  is  made  in  the  account  of 
five  other  of  the  Patriarchs,  i.  e.  Seth,  Enos,  Cainan, 
Mahaleel  and  Jared.  Thus  in  Gen.  5 :  6-7,  Seth  lived 
an  hundred  and  five  years,  and  begat  Enos,  says  the 
Hebrew ;  —  two  hundred  and  five  years,  says  the  Greek. 
Eight  hundred  and  seven  years  afterwards  he  died,  says 
the  Hebrew  ;  while  the  X3reek  reads  seven  hundred  and 
seven  years,  and  thus  both  are  made  to  agree  in  the 
total  length  of  Scth's  life,  i.  e.  nine  hundred  and 
twelve  years.  Precisely  similar  changes  occur  in  ver- 
ses 9,  10,  12,  13,  15,  16,  21,  22,  and  produce  the  altera- 


OF   THE    OLD    TESTAMENT.  125 

tion  of  six  hundred  years  in  the  ante  diluvian  chro- 
nology. 

The  same  system  has  been  carried  on  in  verses  25 
and  26,  28,  30  and  31,  and  in  parts  of  the  clironology 
after  the  flood,  especially  Gen.  11.  In  verse  10,  Shem's 
age  is  left  iintovichcd  on  account  of  the  flood.  But  in 
verse  12,  the  Septuagint  makes  Arphaxed  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  years  when  he  begat  his  first  born 
instead  of  thirty-five  years  according  to  the  Hebrew, 
while  in  this  latter,  in  verse  13,  the  one  hundred  and 
thirty  years  of  Cainan  before  he  begat  Sala,  are  omit- 
ted, that  is  a  whole  generation  is  here  struck  out  of 
the  Hebrew  text,  though  it  remains  in  the  Septuagint, 
and  is  also  inserted  iti  Luke^  3 :  36,  which  thus  contra- 
dicts the  Hebrew  Chronology.  Sala's  life  before  he 
begat  Eben  is  also  shortened  a  hundred  years  in  the 
Hebrew  text,  and  so  the  work  goes  on,  until  the  whole 
makes  up  fourteen  hundred  and    seven  years  difference. 

It  is  evident  that  this  is  not  an  accidental  difference, 
but  one  of  design.  Either  the  Hebrew  text  was 
altered  from  what  it  originally  was,  or  the  Septuagint 
text  was  purposely  altered  after  the  translation  was 
made.  The  Chronology  of  the  Deluge  according  to 
Josephus,  corresponds  substantially  not  with  the  He- 
brew, but  with  that  of  the  Septuagint,  and  as  he 
could  read  both  versions,  we  may  be  pretty  sure  that 
up    to    the    destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the    two    texts 


126  THE   OLD   TESTAMENT. 

generally  agreed.  This  literary  fraud  was  adopted  at 
a  later  date.  Indeed,  both  Josephus  and  Philo  agree 
in  asserting  the  strict  correspondence  of  the  two  chro- 
nologies, in  then-  time,  and  the  Christian  Church  for  the 
first  four  hundred  years,  steadily  adhered  to  that  of 
Josephus  and  the  Septuagint. 

But  the  Jews  had  long  had  a  belief  in  common  with 
some  other  nations,  that  as  the  world  was  sLx  days  in 
being  created,  but  the  seventh  was  the  day  of  rest,  so 
the  world  should  experience  six  thousand  years  of  sor- 
row, and  then  a  millenial  or  seventh  thousand  year  of 
peace.  In  proportion  as  sorrows  multiplied  around 
their  nation,  they  looked  forward  with  longing  to  this 
period  of  rest,  and  there  was  a  general  belief  and  pre- 
diction that  about  the  middle  of  the  sixth  thousand 
period,  or  A.  M.,  5500,  the  Messiah  should  appear. 
This  belief,  no  doubt,  formed  the  basis  of  the  Chiliastic 
views,  which  commencing  even  in  St.  Paul's  time* 
created  great  excitement  amongst  the  Christians  of  the 
second  century.  The  year  5500  of  the  world,  would 
have  brought  the  Messiah  about  A.  D.  85,  or  fifteen 
years  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  The  Chris- 
tians, therefore,  taunted  the  Jews,  and  said,  your  time 
is  up,  your  Messiah  has  not  come ;  ours  has. 

About  A.  D.  125-8,  Aquilla   made   a   new    Greek 
translation   of    the    Hebrew   text,  avowedly   to   correct 
*  II  Thes.  2. 


HEBREW    GENEALOGIES.  127 

the  well  known  errors  of  the  Septuagint.  He  first 
introduced  into  the  Greek  language,  these  chronologi- 
cal curtailments,  which  the  Jews  had  probably  already 
made  in  the  Hebrew  text.  Very  few  of  the  Christians 
could  read  Hebrew,  and  the  Jews  therefore,  could 
easily,  and  must  actually  have  altered  the  text  to  suit 
their  own  purposes,  and  destroy  this  argument  of  the 
Christians.  But  as  late  as  the  time  of  Eusebius,  it 
would  seem  that  some  of  the  Hebrew  copies  read  one 
way,  and  some  the  other.  Ephraim  Cyrus  A.  D.  387, 
says,  "  The  Jews  [have  subtracted  six  hundred  years 
from  the  generations  of  Adam,  Seth,  Enos,  Cainan, 
Mahaleel  and  Jared,  in  order  that  their  own  books 
might  not  convict  them  concerning  the  coming  of 
Christ,  he  having  been  predicted  to  appear  for  the  de- 
liverance of  mankind  after  five  thousand  five  hundred 
years." 

Of  course  hardly  any  two  persons  agree  on  the 
matter  of  Chronology,  and  these  views  will  be  dis- 
puted. But  none  will,  none  can  dispute  that  there  ha^ 
here  been  a  purposed  alteration  of  figures,  making  a 
difference  of  fourteen  hundred  years  in  the  age  of  the 
world,  and  making  the  Hebrew  genealogy  Gen.  11 : 
12,  confiict  with  that  of  Luke,  3 :  36,  by  a  whole 
generation. 

It  will  of  course  be  said  that  this  alteration  of  the 
text  has  been  clearly  made  since  the  Canon  of  the  Old 


128  DR.    KENNICOTT. 

Testament  Scripture  was  completed,  and  that  it  is  an 
objection  only  against  the  infallible  preservation  of  the 
Scriptures  from  subsequent  alterations,  ( for  which  no 
one  contends,)  rather  than  the  infallibility  of  their  In- 
spiration. But  it  does  show  this,  that  infallible  cer- 
tainty as  to  the  accuracy  of  these  dates  cannot  be 
necessary  to  Christian  faith  now,  since  it  cannot  be 
obtained.  It  is  surely  vain  to  say,  you  must  believe 
that  every  word  and  letter  was  correct  once,  but  you 
may  and  perhaps  must  believe  that  it  has  been  sub- 
jected to  such  corruptions  and  alterations  since,  that  we 
cannot  tell  what  the  correct  reading  was. 

Having  seen  these  alterations,  is  it  necessary,  is  it 
possible  for  us  to  believe  that  all  of  those  numbers  in 
the  Old  Testament,  even  in  which  both  the  Hebrew 
and  Greek  copies  do  agree,  are  certainly  correct  ? 

Dr.  Kennicott,  in  his  first  dissertation,  acquits  the 
Jews  of  "  'vsdllfully  corrupting  the  Old  Testament." 
"  But  twenty-five  years  aftel•^A'ards,"  adds  Dr.  Pye 
Smith,  "  accumulated  evidence  compelled  him  to  adopt 
the  opposite  opinion,  and  he  complains  heavily  of  the 
craft  and  dishonesty  of  the  Jewish  transcribers."  Dr. 
Pye  Smith  also  thinks  national  pride  led  them  to 
exaggerate.  "  Very  remarkable  are  the  numbers  which 
occur  in  some  places  of  armies  and  men  slain  in 
battle.  Abijah  has  with  him  an  army  of  four  hun- 
dred thousand  men,  and  Jeroboam  double  that  num- 


MISTAKES.  129 

ber,  picked  troops  on  both  sides,  and  lialf  a  million  of 
the  latter  army  fall  in  battle.  II  Chron.  13.  Let  it  be 
considered  that  the  territory  of  Judah  did  not  exceed 
in  extent  the  two  English  counties  of  Norfolk  and 
Suffolk,  and  that  of  Israel  was  not  equal  to  York- 
shire and  Lancashire ;  both  mountainous  countries, 
though  the  valleys  and  hill  tops  were  permanently 
fertile.  Let  it  be  asked  whether  from  the  most  dense 
population  conceivable  upon  such  an  area,  a  number 
of  fighting  men  could  be  raised,  which  would  give 
a  selected  body  out  of  it,  at  all  approaching  to  those 
immbers.  Xerxes  was  three  years  raising,  some  say, 
one  million  seven  hundred  thousand,  others  one  million, 
and  Pliny,  seven  hundred  thousand.  All  the  ancient 
historians  are  full  of  astonishment  at  this  extent  of 
armament.  Yet  the  little  country"  of  Palestine  fur- 
nishes so  many  troops  as  to  allow  a  selection  to  be 
made,  which  brings  one  million  two  hundred  thou- 
sand fighting  men.  I  might  remark  upon  the  inca- 
pacity of  the  plain  of  Jezreel  or  any  other  part  of 
the  country  to  be  the  field  of  battle,  unless  it  were 
a  pell  mell  massacre.  Napoleon's  largest  array  that  of 
1812  against  Russia  was  only  half  a  million,  the  very 
number  here  said  to  be  slain  in  a  single  battle.  How 
could  such  a  number  be  buried  ?  But  if  not,  a  dreadful 
pestilence  would  ensue  in  that  climate."'  The  num- 
bers he  firmly  believes  have  been  altered. 


lao 


NUMBERS    SLAIN. 


A  similar  remark,  he  thinks,  might  be  made  upon 
the  numbers  of  animals  offered  in  sacrifice  on  various 
recorded  occasions  in  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem-  "  If 
the  blood  flowed  away  in  sewers,  it  would  have 
choked  up  the  channels  and  overflov/ed  the  recepta- 
cles, for  there  was  no  great  river  to  carry  it  off.  The 
pool  of  Siloam  and  the  Brook  Kedron  would  have 
been  as  nothing  for  the  purpose.  Even  a  river  equal 
to  the  Thames  would  scarcely  have  sufficed,  not  to 
mention  the  waters  being  rendered  unfit  for  drink. 
Such  a  quantity  of  blood,  and  the  rejected  matter 
from  the  viscera  in  the  hot  country  of  Judea,  would 
have  bred  a  dire  plague."  "  I  am  speaking  only  of  the 
nnmhers  as  not  being  the  objects  of  Inspiration  as  they 
stand.  How  can  we  escape  the  suspicion  of  their 
having  been  altered  by  an  enormous  multiplication  ? 
*         *         *  These   questions    affect    not  any 

part  of  doctrine  or  of  duty.  Allrehgious  truth  stands  up 
in  peerless  majesty,  unaffected  by  these  little  shoals  of 
accidental  sand.  But  these  facts  must  fearfully  affect 
the  theory  of -a  servile  literality  of  Inspiration.  It  is 
that  theory  which  has  put  the  most  ostensibly  j)owcr- 
ful  arms  into  the  hands  of  the  foes  of  God  and  man.  "  * 
Such  is  the  language  of  Rev.  Dr.  J.  Pye  Smith,  one  of 
the  most  learned,  pious  and  Orthodox  Dissenting  Min- 
isters of  England,  recently  departed,  and  whose  work. 
*  Book  I,  Chap.  '2.,  Appendix  to  Note  5. 


GEOLOGICAL   STATEMENTS.  131 

on  the  Person  of  Christ  was  for  many  years  considered 
the  book  on  that  subject  for  the  Divinity  Students  in 
one  of  the  Universities. 

II.  The  Geological  Statements  of  the  early  chapters 
of  Genesis  while  not  preventing  the  high  Inspiration 
of  the  writer  for  the  great  religious  purposes  intended, 
i.  e.  exhibiting  a  pure  and  lofty  Theistic  plan,  purpose 
and  power  as  lying  at  the  back  of  all  the  progress 
manifest  in  the  work  of  Creation,  yet  cannot  be  re- 
regarded  as  a  literal  and  infallible  record  of  the  facts 
of  the  case.  They  supply  just  the  element  that  sci- 
ence is  most  apt  to  leave  out  in  its  statements  of  these 
things.  This  is  their  purpose.  But  to  him  who  will 
believe  nothing  of  science  but  what  can  be  fairly  made 
to  square  with  these  statements,  so  far  from  proving  a 
store  house  of  scientific  knowledge,  they  must  become 
insuperable  obstacles  to  progi*ess. 

Rev.  Dr.  Pye  Smith  took  up  the  subject  of  the 
Deluge.  He  felt  the  difficulty  of  supposing -the  whole 
dry  land  of  the  globe  to  have  been  covered  fifteen 
cubits  with  water  at  one  time,  and  produced  such  argu- 
ments as  have  forever  settled  the  question  with  all  men 
of  thought,  that  the  Deluge  could  not  have  been  sim- 
ultaneously universal,  but  only  simply  over  that  part  of 
the  globe  then  the  abode  of  men.  We  may  lake  it  for 
granted  that  no  person  who  has  read  his  lectures  on 
this  subject,  published  more    than    twenty   years    ago, 


132  GEOLOGICAL   STATEMENTS. 

now  claims  more  of  extent  for  the  Deluge  than  this. 
Geologists  at  least  know  that  such  a  deluge  as  the 
illiterate  suppose,  (without  another  gi-eater  miracle  to 
obliterate  all  traces  of  it,)  must  have  left  marks  that  are 
not  to  be  found.  They  know  that  there  are  rocks  and 
mountains  of  an  older  date  covered  with  puramice- 
stones  that  must  have  been  washed  as  they  are  not, 
had  such  a  deluge  occurred.  They  know  that  such  an 
additional  mass  of  water  on  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
if  created  for  the  occasion,  must  have  been  annihila- 
ted when  its  work  was  done,  and  would  have  thrown 
the  relations  of  our  globe  to  the  planetary  system 
into  hopeless  disorder  while  it  lasted.  It  is,  therefore, 
now  admitted  by  all  earnest  and  enlightened  Chris- 
tians that  Noah's  flood  was  only  partial. 

But  this  though  quite  true,  and  not  in  the  least 
inconsistent  with  the  Inspiration  of  the  Old  Testament 
in  that  only  vital  sense  that  makes  it  full  of  religions 
truth  and  instruction  for  the  pious  mind,  is  yet  quite 
incongruous  (notwithstanding  all  the  explanations  of 
Dr.  Pye  Smith)  with  the  literal  infallibility  of  the 
records  of  Genesis.  For  the  language  of  a  writer 
always  means  what  the  writer  thought  and  intended 
the  reader  to  understand  by  it.  Now  Gen.  7 :  17- 
23,  expressly  declares,  that  "  all  the  high  hills  that  ivere 
under  the  whole  heaven  vjere  covered,  and  all  flesh 
died  that  moved   upon   the  earth,  both   of  fowl  and  of 


NOAn's   DELUGE.  133 

cattle,  and  of  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon 
the  earth,  and  every  man.  All  in  whose  nostrils  was 
the  breath  of  life,  and  all  that  was  in  the  dry  land  died. 
Noah  only  remained  alive,  and  they  that  were  with 
him  in  the  ark."  There  can,  I  think,  be  no  doubt  but 
that  the  WTiter  of  this  passage  must  have  intended  to 
convey  his  belief  both  that  all  men  were  destroyed,  and 
all  living  land  animals,  and  that  the  deluge  covered 
every  part  of  the  earth  at  one  time.  The  only  fair 
solution  of  this  difficulty  is  that  the  author  recorded 
what  was  universally  believed  in  his  day,  that  he  re- 
ported the  history  as  he  had  received  it  from  his 
ancestors.  His  object  was  to  show  how  sin  brings  the 
Divine  wrath  and  leads  to  destruction.  He  uttered  a 
great  religious  truth,  one  that  had  inspired  his  own 
breast,  and  there  entwined  itself  round  the  im{)erfect 
history  he  had  received  from  the  tradition  of  the  past. 
His  knowledge  and  belief  of  facts  was  human  and 
imperfect,  though  his  holy  thought  was  Inspired  and 
Divine. 

Eusebius  A.  D.  338,  has  given  us  from  the  writings 
of  Berosus,  a  Priest  of  the  Temple  of  Belus  about  B. 
C.  275,  another  version  of  the  same  history  preserved 
among  the  Chaldean  annals  as  follows :  "  In  the 
second  book  was  contained  the  history  of  the  ten  kings 
of  the  Chaldeans,  and  the  periods  of  the  continuance  of 
each  reign,  which  consisted  collectively  of  an  hundred 


134  BEROSUS. 

and  twenty  sari,  or  four  hundred  and  thirty-two  thou- 
sand years,  reaching  to  the  time  of  the  Deluge.  * 
*  *  After  the  death  of  Ardates,  his  son  Xisu- 
thrus  reigned  eighteen  sari.  In  his  time  happened  a 
great  Deluge,  the  history  of  which  is  thus  described. 
The  Deity  Cronus  appeared  to  him  in  a  vision,  and 
warned  him  that  upon  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  month 
Dffisius,  there  would  be  a  flood,  by  which  mankind 
would  be  destroyed.  He  therefore  enjoined  him  to 
write  a  history  of  the  beginning,  procedure  and  conclu- 
sion of  all  things,  and  to  bury  it  in  the  city  of  the  Sun 
at  Sippara,  and  to  build  a  vessel,  and  take  with  him 
into  it  his  friends  and  relations,  and  to  convey  on  board 
everything  necessary  to  sustain  life,  together  with  all 
the  different  animals,  both  birds  and  quadrupeds,  and 
trust  ffimself  fearlessly  to  the  deep.  Having  asked  the 
Deity  whither  he  was  to  sail,  he  was  answered,  "  To 
the  Gods,"  upon  which  he  offered  up  a  prayer  for  the 
good  of  mankind.  He  then  obeyed  the  Divine  admo- 
nition and  built  a  vessel  five  stadia  in  length,  and  two 
in  breadth.  Into  this  he  put  everything  which  he  had 
prepared,  and  last  of  all  conveyed  into  it  his  wife,  his 
children  and  his  friends.  After  the  flood  had  been  upon 
the  earth,  and  was  in  time  abated,  Xisuthrus  sent  out 
birds  from  the  vessel,  which  not  finding  any  food,  nor 
any  place  whereupon  Ihey  might  rest  their  feet, 
returned  to  him  again.     After  an  interval  of  some  days, 


XISUTHRUS.  135 

he  sent  them  forth  a  second  time,  and  they  now  return- 
ed with  their  feet  tijiged  with  mud.  He  made  a  trial 
a  third  time  with  these  birds,  but  they  returned  to  him 
no  more,  from  whence  he  judged  that  the  surface  of 
the  earth  had  appeared  above  surface  of  the  waters. 
He  therefore  made  an  opening  in  the  vessel,  and  upon 
looking  out,  found  that  it  was  stranded  upon  the  side 
of  some  mountain,  upon  which  he  immediately  quitted 
it  with  his  wife,  his  daughter  and  the  pilot.  Xisuthrus 
then  paid  his  adoration  to  the  earth,  and  having  con- 
structed an  altar,  offered  sacrifices  to  the  gods,  and 
with  those  who  had  come  out  of  the  vessel  with  him, 
disappeared.  They  who  remained  within,  finding  that 
their  companions  did  not  return,  quitted  the  vessel  with 
many  lamentations,  and  called  continually  on  the 
name  of  Xisuthrus.  Him  they  saw  no  more,  but  they 
could  distinguish  his  voice  in  the  air,  and  could  hear 
him  admonish  them  to  pay  due  regard  to  religion,  and 
likewise  he  informed  them  that  it  was  on  account  of  his 
piety  that  he  was  translated  to  live  with  the  gods ;  that 
his  wife  and  daughter  and  the  pilot  had  obtained  tlic 
same  honor.  To  this  he  added  that  they  should  return 
to  Babylonia,  and  as  it  was  ordained,  searcli  for  the 
writings  at  Sippara,  which  they  were  to  make  known 
to  all  mankind ;  moreover,  that  the  place  wherein  they 
then  were,  was  the  land  of  Armenia.  The  rest  hav- 
ing heard  these  v^ords,  offered  sacrifices  to  the  gods, 


136  TRADITIONS 

and  taking  a  circuit,  journeyed  towards  Babylonia. 
The  vessel  being  thus  stranded  in  Armenia,  some  part 
of  it  yet  remains  in  the  Corcyrean  Mountains  of 
Armenia,  and  the  people  scrape  of  the  bitumen  with 
which  it  had  been  outwardly  coated,  and  make  use  of 
it  by  way  of  an  alexipharmic  and  amulet.  And  when 
they  returned  to  Babylon,  and  had  found  the  writings 
at  Sippara,  they  built  cities,  and  erected  temples,  and 
Babylon  was  thus  inhabited  again."  * 

"  Other  notices  of  the  flood  may  be  found  in  the 
PhcEnician  Mythology,  where  the  victory  of  Pontus 
(the  sea,)  over  Demarous  (the  earth)  is  mentioned  in 
the  Sibylline  Oracles,  partly  borrowed,  no  doubt,  from 
the  Biblical  narrative,  and  partly  perhaps  from  some 
Babylonian  story.  To  these  must  be  added  the 
Phrygian  story  of  King  Annakos  or  Nannakos  (Enoch) 
in  Iconium,  who  reached  an  age  of  m.ore  than  three  hun- 
dred years,  foretold  the  flood,  and  wept  and  prayed  for  his 
people,  seeing  the  destruction  that  was  coming  upon 
them.  Very  curious  as  showing  what  deep  root  this 
tradition  must  have  taken  in  the  country,  is  the  fact 
that  so  late  as  the  time  of  Septimius  Severns,  a  medal 
was  struck  at  Alpamea,  on  which  the  Flood  is  com- 
memorated. As  belonging  to  this  cycle  of  tradition, 
must  be  reckoned  also  the  Syrian  related  by  Lucian, 
and  connected  with  a  huge  chasm  in  the  earth  near 
*  Eusebius  5-8.     Cory's  Ancient  Fragments,  p.  26. 


ON   THE   FLOOD.  137 

Hieropolis,"  into  which  the  waters  of  the  flood  are 
supposed  to  have  drained,  and  the  Armenian  quoted 
by  Josephus.  Another  cycle  of  traditions  is  that  of 
Eastern  Asia.  To  this  belong  the  Persian,  Indian,  and 
Chinese.  The  Persian  is  mixed  up  with  its  cosmog- 
ony, and  hence  loses  anything  like  an  historical  aspect. 
The  Chinese  story  is  in  many  respects,  singularly  like 
the  Biblical.  The  Indian  ti-adition  appears  in  various 
forms.  Of  these,  the  one  which  most  remarkably 
agrees  with  the  Biblical  account  is  that  contained  in 
the  Mahabharata."  * 

The  only  question  is,  did  the  writer  of  Genesis 
receive  his  account  of  this  event  from  some  one  or 
more  of  these  sources,  or  they  from  the  writer  of 
Genesis,  or  both  from  the  same  common  source.  The 
whole  formed  probably  a  part  of  some  widely  extended 
tradition  of  a  flood  that  occuiTcd  perhaps  on  the 
banks  of  the  Euphrates  or  the  Oxus  of  which  men 
have  been  periodically  reminded  by  great  floods  since 
as  they  have  travelled  westward.  This  is  not  the 
place  to  discuss  the  authorship  of  the  pentateuch. 
But  that  it  was  comjoosed  of  pre-existing  documents, 
especially  Genesis  is  now  beyond  all  doubt.  Berosus 
appears  to  have  drawn  his  account  of  the  flood  from 
the  same  sources  as  those  from  which  parts  of  Genesis 
are  also  derived.  All  this  we  shall  see  as  we  proceed. 
*  Smith's  Bible  Dictionary,  Ai't.  Noah. 


138  THE   FLOOD. 

Bnt  parts  of  Genesis  are  avowedly  from  pre-existing 
documents ;  —  Gen.  5 :  1.  "  This  is  the  book  of  the 
generations  of  Adam,"  that  is,  the  Sethite  family 
record  down  to  the  thirty-second  verse,  (as  chapter  four 
gives  us  the  Cainite.)  *  Gen.  6 :  9,  commences  an- 
other ;  the  family  record  of  the  life  of  Noah  and  the 
flood.  Chapter  10 :  1,  begins  another,  and  chapter  11 : 
10,  yet  another  of  these  family  records,  which  seem  first 
to  have  been  put  together  by  the  Elohistic,  and  finally 
edited  by  a  .Jehovistic  author,  whose  religious  feeling 
leads  him  to  put  the  whole  narrative  together. 

We  may  not  pretend  to  speak  accurately  upon 
points  on  which  all  sorts  of  theories  are  afloat,  but 
rather  to  show  how  without  intending  to  utter  any- 
thing not  according  to  fact,  a  really  holy  man  may 
have  mistaken  accounts  of  some  local  and  partial 
deluge  which  swept  over  all  they  knew  of  the  earth 
and  its  inhabitants,  for  one  strictly  universal.  All 
great  calamities  are  God's  messengers  of  glorious 
truths,  bringing  to  the  survivors  their  own  moral 
lessons  and  renovations  of  character.  Looldng  back 
to  these,  and  considering  the  deeper  corruption  that 
reigned  before,  a  truly  religious  man  would  be  most 
anxious  that  the  improvement  of  the  world  thus 
obtained  should  not  be  lost. 

There  are  at  this  time  in  Belgium,  bone  caves  being 

*  See  DaritUoa  on  the  rentateuch,  Vol.  I,  p.  135. 


BELGL\M    BONE   CAVES.  139 

ransacked,  that  tell  a  marvellous  story  of  a  deluge  that 
must  have  inundated  the  whole  of  that  country,  and 
much  of  the  northern  part  of  France,  caused  by  the 
melting  of  Swiss  glaciers  and  which  is  thought  to  have 
swept  away  a  whole  race  of  men,  dwellers  in  caves,  of 
whom  very  ample  proofs  and  relics  have  been  preserved 
owing  to  the  falling  in  of  the  tojjs  of  one  or  two  of  the 
caves,  crushing  down  and  burying  their  flint  arrow  and 
spear  heads,  their  bone  needles  for  sewing  garments  of 
skin  and  all  the  debris  of  daily  life.  The  whole 
country  has  been  covered  with  a  dense  yellow  clay, 
the  deposit  of  tliis  inundation.  Had  any  one  or  two 
or  three  survivors  been  able  to  have  written  out 
an  account  of  this  event  after  the  subsiding  of  the 
waters,  it  might  have  seemed  to  them,  as  they  saw 
no  place  but  what  gave  evidence  of  having  been 
submerged,  as  if  the  deluge  were  universal,  and  such 
a  description  as  that  of  Genesis  would  most  faith- 
fully record  the  truth  to  them  though  not  the  abso- 
lute geological  fact.  Now  it  is  truth  to  the  human 
heart  and  perception  and  experience,  rather  than  to 
philosophy  and  fact,  that  is  the  truth  we  need  in 
these  addresses  to  the  religious  experiences  of  man. 
And  one  who  is  no  philosopher,  may  be  as  truly 
inspired  of  God  to  give  religious  instruction,  and 
his  very  imixrfections  and  ignorance  may  make  him 
more  ready  in  his  access  to  the  hearts  of  multitudes 


140  SIX   DAYS   Of   CREATION. 

than   if   he  had  a  more  precise  knowledge  of  all  the 
facts. 

But  the  chief  Geological  objection  against  verbal 
and  scientific  exactness  being  included  in  the  true  idea 
of  Inspiration,  arises  not  from  the  Deluge,  but  the 
much  controverted  subject  of  the  six  days  Creation. 
Here  it  all  turns  upon  this  question  whether  it  is  pos- 
sible for  us  to  believe  that  in  what  the  writer  of  the 
first  chapter  of  Genesis  intended  to  convey  to  us  of 
information  as  to  the  history  of  Creation,  he  is  consis- 
tent as  to  time  and  circumstances,  with  what  we  now 
know  through  Geology  to  be  the  facts  of  the  case. 
The  point  is  not  whether  the  words  used  are  capable  of 
being  explained  away,  so  as  not  absolutely  to  contra- 
dict scientific  truth.  In  this  case,  there  is  not  merely  a 
casual  allusion  to  creation,  as  where  we  speak  inci- 
dentally of  sun  rise  and  sun  set,  but  there  is  a  professed 
narrative  of  it,  and  that  narrative  is  in  words  which 
would  leave  no  doubt  on  the  mind  of  a  scientific  man 
that  the  writer  did  not  understand  things  consistently 
with  the  facts  now  made  known  to  us  by  science. 
We  do  not  say  that  the  author  may  not  manifest  a 
degree  of  scientific  knowledge  very  wonderful,  but  he 
certainly  understood  himself  and  intended  to  convey 
to  his  readers  as  facts,  some  things  not  as  they  really 
are,  though  as  he  conceived  them  to  be.  He  believed, 
for  instance,  if  we  may  rely  upon  Gesenius,  upon  the 


THE   FIRMAMENT.  141 

Septuagint,  the  Vulgate,  and  even  our  English  version 
in  the  existence  of  "  a  firmament,''^  that  is,  a  firm  and 
solid  hemispheric  arch  over  the  earth,  answering  to  the 
(TrepecofMa  or  solid  hemisphere  believed  in  by  the 
Greeks.  In  it,  according  to  that  ancient  opinion  were 
the  fixed  stars,  and  above  it  was  the  celestial  ocean 
with  windows  in  the  firmament  through  which  the 
water  fell  as  rain  upon  the  earth.* 

It  will  of  course  be  said  that  this  is  a  matter  of 
no  consequence,  a  sort  of  thing  like  alluding  to  the 
sun  rising  and  setting,  and  other  cases  where  we  speak 
truly,  while  uttering  what  we  all  now  know  to  be 
philosophically  contrary  to  fact.  Neither  is  it  a  matter 
of  the  least  practical  importance  to  the  pious  Chris- 
tian, but  that  is  because  the  Inspiration  of  the  Bible 
writers-  was  never  intended  to  enable  them  to  teach  or 
conceive  of  matters  of  scientific  knowledge  with  abso- 
lute infallibility.  It  would  have  injured  their  religious 
instructions,  and  made  them  too  far  beyond  their  age, 
or  probably  our  age,   had  they    written    thus.     Their 

*  Gen.  1:7;  and  7 :  11.  The  original  word  i'lpl  has  been 
thought  by  these,  the  best  autlioi-itics,  to  involve  this  belief,  being  de- 
rived from  2>p-i  to  beat  or  stamp  down,  and  so  render  solid.  To 
avoid  this  idea  of  a  firmament,  some,  like  Prof.  Stuart,  have  taken  the 
term  in  the  sense  simply  of  expanse,  since  the  root  contains  the  thought 
of  beating  out  (like  gold)  and  so  extending,  expanding  it.  The  best 
authorities  however,  ancient  and  modern,  are  against  receiving  this 
latter  as  the  fair  signification  of  the  term  used. 


142  THE   SIX   DAYS. 

very  imperfections  rendered  the  divine  truths  taught, 
such  as  the  unity  of  Ihe  Divine  Being  and  his  agency 
in  Creation  the  more  useful  and  easily  received.  Thus 
the  philosophical  mis-conceptions  of  their  age  were 
permitted  to  remain,  because  (as  in  this  case)  when 
the  natural  philosophy  of  future  ages  went  beyond 
that  then  cuiTent,  belief  in  the  antiquated  would  be 
sure  to  cease  and  do  no  harm  to  the  great  theological 
truths  taught.  So  far,  indeed,  as  a  mistaken  view  of 
Inspiration  causes  an  attempt  to  be  made  to  claim 
infallibility  for  the  scientific  imperfections  in  Scripture, 
it  by  thus  uniting  too  closely,  things  really  quite 
distinct,  destroys  faith  in  both. 

The  above  will  be  a  key  to  the  proper  interpretation 
qf  the  six  days  of  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis-  The  ideas 
recorded  there  were  to  a  great  extent  the  current  views 
for  ages  from  the  Oxus  and  the  Indus  across  the  Tigris 
and  the  Euphrates,  to  the  Nile,  and  to  Phoenicia  that  is 
through  forty  degrees  of  longitude  at  least.  The  origin 
of  the  notion  so  wide  spread  of  the  six  milleniary  ages 
of  the  world  is  explained  by  the  learned  Gregory  of 
Oxford,  "  Because  God  was  six  days  about  the  creation, 
and  a  thousand  years  with  him  arc  but  as  one  day,* 
therefore  after  six  days,  that  is  six  thousand  years  dura- 
tion, there  shall  be  a  seventh  day  or  milleniary  Sabbath 
of  rest."  This  early  tradition  was  found  also  in  the 
*  rs.  90:  i.     II  reterS:  8.    ' 


THE    SIX    DAYS.  143 

Sibylline  Orticles,  in  Hesiod,  in  the  writings  of  Darius 
Hystaspcs,  the  old  king  of  the  Medcs,  derived  probably 
from  the  Magi,  and  among  the  Egyptians. 

The  belief  then  of  the  Creation  in  six  days,  was 
probably  wide  spread  before  the  book  of  Genesis  was 
committed  to  writing,  and  the  object  of  the  writer  was 
not  to  teach  a  new  and  unknown  cosmogony,  but 
adopting  that,  because  it.was  universally  believed  tradi- 
tionally, his  intention  was  to  exhibit  and  inspire  his  own 
faith  in  One  only  living  and  true  God  as  the  real  au- 
thor of  the  visible  universe,  —  a  theological  truth  in 
which  inwardly  inspired  of  the  Almighty,  he  antici- 
pated the  later  belief  of  the  same  by  Socrates,  or 
Anaxagoras,  who,  born  about  B.  C.  500,  was  the  first 
to  proclaim  the  doctrine  of  a  Supreme  regulative 
Intelligence  among  the  Greeks. 

Even  Mr.  Cory  in.  his  Ancient  Fragments,  though 
refusing  to  believe  that  one  cosmogony  was  boiTowed 
from  another,  considers  it  "  manifest  that  the  circum- 
stances of  the  Creation  and  the  Deluge  were  well 
known  to  all"  mankind  previously  to  the  dispersion. 
And  the  writings  of  Moses  give  to  the  chosen  peo- 
ple, not  so  much  a  neio  revelation,  as  a  correct,  au- 
thenticated and  inspired  account  of  circumstances, 
which  had  then  become  partially  obscured  by  time, 
and  abused  by  superstition.  The  formless  watery 
Chaos   and   tlic   etherial   substance    of    the    heavens, 


144  CREATION. 

enfolding  and  passing  over  its  surface  ^s  a  mighty 
wind,  are  the  first  principles  both  of  the  sacred  and 
profane  cosmogonies,  but  they  are  reclaimed  by  Moses 
as  the  materials,  created  by  the  immediate  agency  of 
an  Almighty  power.  The  subsequent  process  of  form- 
ation so  completely  corresponds  in  both  systems,  that 
if  they  were  not  borrowed  the  one  from  the  other, 
*  *  they    must    each    have    been   ultimately 

derived  from  the  common  source  of  revelation." 

When  the  earlier  parts  of  the  book  of  Genesis  were 
first  committed  to  writing,  it  is  not  possible  to  deter- 
mine precisely.  This  we  shall  see  more  clearly  in  the 
next  chapter.  As  Dean  Stanley  has  said,  it  is  to  be 
regarded  as  an  anonymous  work  called  at  a  later 
period  after  the  name  of  Moses,  not  because  he  was 
its  author,  but  rather  because  he  is  the  chief  subject  of 
it,  and  uttered  many  of  the  sayings  it  records.  Dr. 
Spiegel  considers  that  it  is  clearly  written  after' the 
Rig- Veda,  and  after  the  earlier  part  of  the  Avestas. 
All  three  show  considerable  affinities  in  the  relisrious 
customs  and  laws  and  theological  opinions  exhibited. 
But  if  any  one  after  reading  the  Avestas  (a  translation 
of  which  has  been  published  in  England,)  turns  to  our 
Pentateuch,  he  will  see  that  progress  towards  a  loftier, 
purer,  simpler  faith  that  wilf  best  exhibit  the  inspira- 
tion of  its   author,   while   yet   he   will   also   see   the 


THE   ELOHIM   DOCUMENT.  145 

striking  connection  of  pre-existing  and  wide  spread 
religious  opinions  of  a  similar  character. 

The  Elohim  document  of  Genesis  may  have  been 
committed  to  writing  about  the  time  of  Samuel,  al- 
though it,  no  doubt,  contains  many  laws  \witten  by 
Moses,  and  other  documents  perhaps  older  than 
that. 

"With  such  a  view  as  this,  of  the  chapters  of  Gen- 
esis, it  seems  almost  incredible,  the  amount  of  theolog- 
ical labor  that  has  been  expended  in  trying  to  prove 
that  they  are  in  no-wise  contrary  to  the  dates  and  ideas 
that  science  gives  us  as  to  the  creation  of  the  world. 
The  great  theological  lesson  which  they  were  intended 
to  teach,  and  which  the  other  accounts  had  ignored,  i. 
e.  that  one  personal  and  Infinite  Intelligence  had 
formed  the  Universe,  and  given  the  laws  that  govern 
it,  is  true  and  Divinely  Inspired.  All  the  rest  is  merely 
circumstantial.  This  is  the  sole  idea  it  was  written  to 
unfold,  nor  need  we  doubt  that  it  would  and  did 
inspire  closer  observations  of  nature  and  gave  further 
insight  into  many  scientific  truths  than  others  at  that 
time  possessed.  Hugh  Miller  and  others  supposed 
they  found  proofs  of  much  of  this  sort  of  knowledge 
in  Genesis,  and  we  need  not  stop  to  doubt  or  to  dis- 
cuss that.  It  all  seems  possible  and  probable  enough. 
But  to  say  that  the  whole  of  this  account  is  fairly 
reconcilable  with  all  that  is  given  by  Science,  must 
7 


146  SIX   PERIODS. 

make  good  men  of  future  ages  astonished  at  our 
credulity  and  superstition. 

Let  any  candid  man  of  science  consider  what  is 
involved  in  the  reconcilement  of  these  things  as  at- 
tempted by  Hugh  Miller  and  others.  The  six  days, 
they  say,  are  six  periods.  Because  the  word  day,  is 
sometimes  used  figuratively,  and  does  not  always  mean 
in  the  Bible  or  in  common  language,  a  literal  period  of 
twenty-four  hours,  therefore  it  is  supposed  we  are  at 
liberty  to  take  it  figuratively  in  this  case,  and  make  it 
mean  any  unlimited  period  we  require.  Let  be  granted 
that  in  Gen.  2 :  4,  the  word  "  day,"  means  more  than 
twenty-four  hours.  But  is  it  not  a  law  of  Interpretation 
that  "  every  word  can  have  but  one  meaning  at  the 
same  time  and  place,  and  that  although  each  word  may 
have  several  distinct  significations  in  different  con- 
nections, the  sense  cannot  be  diverse  and  multifarious 
at  the  same  time  and  in  the  same  expression."  And 
what  that  meaning  is,  is  to  be  found  from  the  general 
manner  of  speaking  or  from  the  proximate  words  or 
context.* 

Can  any  one  suppose  that  when  the  writer  or 
Editor  of  Genesis  wrote  the  first  chapter,  he  knew  of 
or  intended  to  convey  to  his  readers,  anything  but 
six  literal  days  ?  If  he  intended  "  periods,"  what  is  the 
Seventh  on  which  the  Creator  is  said  to  have  rested  ? 
*  See  Stuart's  Ernosti,  Sec.  17-19. 


HUGH    MILLER  147 

It  must  be  the  present  period  ever  since  the  Creation 
of  man.  But  what  if  it  shall  be  proved  that  man  has 
been  in  existence  ever  since,  or  at  least  just  after  the 
passing  away  of  the  great  glacial  period,  which 
clothed  all  Europe  and  most  of  America  in  ice  for 
thousands,  or  hundreds  of  thousands  of  years  ?  Are 
not  the  evidences  of  Divine  activity  as  truly  manifest  in 
the  changing  and  improving  aspects,  of  creation  since 
as  before  that  period?  Truly  "the  P'ather  worketh 
hitherto."     There  is  progress  every  where. 

Let  any  one  now  read  Hugh  Miller's  Lectures  on 
the  six  days  or  periods  of  Creation.  "  They  are  first, 
the  Azoic  day  or  period,  second,  the  Silurian  or  Old 
Red  Sandstone  day  or  period,  third,  the  Carboniferous 
day  or  period,  fourth,  the  Permian  or  Triassic  day 
or  period,  fifth,  the  Oolitic  and  Cretaceous  day  or 
period,  and  sixth,  the  Tertiary  day  or  period ;  seventh, 
the  present  period. 

To  say  that  Genesis  and  Geology  cannot  thus  be 
reconciled,  would  be  very  much  beyond  my  present 
purpose.  But  yet  on  the  same  principles  of  interpre- 
tation, one  might  reconcile  the  Bible  with  any  thing, 
and  Geology  with  Ovid's  Metamorphoses.  We  have 
"  an  evening  and  a  morning,"  as  well  as  a  day  of  rest 
to  explain  away  figuratively,  and  the  non-appearance 
of  the  sun  and  moon  until  the  fourth  day,  (by  envelop- 
ing it  in  fog)  with  the  direct  intimation  they  were  then 


148  ON   THE   SIX   PERIODS. 

"  made  "  and  "  set  in  the  firmament ; "  and  the  represen- 
tation is  that  this  was  the  great  work  of  the  fourth  day 
or  period.  Can  this  fairly  be  done  ?  Is  it  right,  wise 
or  rehgious  to  attempt  it?     I  think  not. 

That  is  to  say,  according  to  this  mode  of  reconcile- 
ment, until  the  fourth  day  or  period,  the  sun  never 
shone  on  this  earth.  But  long  before  that,  it  shone, 
they  admit,  upon  the  mists  and  clouds  that  encom- 
passed the  earth,  clear,  bright  and  warm  as  now,  and 
the  moon  and  stars  would  all  have  been  visible  to 
the  eye  of  one  who  could  have  ascended  to  a  suffi- 
cient height,  but  not  to  one  standing  on  the  dry  land. 
Why  there  should  be  so  much  particularity  to  adapt 
this  statement  to  the  eye  of  man  standing  on  the 
earth,  when  no  man  was  yet  created,  is  not  apparent. 

But  would  it  seem  scientifically  probable  that  there 
were  no  bright  and  sunny  days  until  the  fourth  great 
geologic  period,  that  is  until  after  the  great  Carbon- 
iferous period  ?  Let  us  compare  now  for  a  moment 
the  first  three  days  of  Genesis  with  the  first  three 
periods  declai'cd  by  Hugh  Miller  to  correspond  with 
them,  as  these  latter  are  described  not  by  him  but  in 
a  treatise  on  Geology,  simply  scientific,  —  the  article 
on  that  subject  in  Appleton's  Cyclopedia.  The  first 
day's  work  in  Genesis  is  simply  the  creation  of  land, 
water,  and  light,  and  the  separation  of  the  light  from 
the  darkness.     This  is  the  grand  Azoic  period  accord- 


THE   FIRST   PERIOD.  149 

ing  to  Miller.  It  takes  no  cognizance  of  any  long 
duration  in  which  the  whole  planetary  system  was  a 
vast  fire-mist, —  of  its  cooling  down  and  breaking  up 
into  so  many  worlds  of  molten  mass,  rotating  and 
still  cooling  until  the  surface  fell  below  two  hundred 
and  twelve  degrees,  so  that  deep  waters  could  cover  as 
now,  portions  of  the  globe,  and  mighty  winds  sweep 
over  their  surface. 

Commencing  then  just  there,  and  supposing,  as 
Hugh  Miller  did,  vapors  to  obscure  the  sun,  moon  and 
stars  from  the  eye  of  man,  (if  there  had  been  a  man  to 
see  them,)  the  first  question  for  science  to  consider  is 
whether  during  the  vast  ages,  in  which  we  suppose 
this  globe  must  have  been  revolving  in  a  molten  and 
more  heated  state,  there  must  not  have  been  corres- 
ponding to  the  revolutions  that  fixed  the  shape  of  our 
globe,  diurnal  changes  of  light  and  darkness  ?  In  this 
period  geologically,  we  find  nothing  but  rocks,  which 
we  call  azoic,  simply  to  designate  that  there  are  no 
remains  in  them  indicating  organic  life. 

The  second  great  day  or  period  of  Genesis,  records 
only  the  formation  of  a  firmament,  dividing  the  waters 
above  it  from  those  below.  Geologically,  this  embra- 
ces, we  are  told  by  Mr.  Miller,  two  distinct  periods  or 
series,  the  Silurian  and  Devonian,  with  many  subdi- 
visions in  each.  Hugh  Miller  says,  "  the  broad  seas  of 
the  lower  Silurian  Epoch  stretching  over  large  portions 


150  THE   SECOND    PERIOD. 

of  the  globe,  contain  their  peculiar  types  of  marine 
life,  Crustacea,  cephatopoda,  and  algae,  all  perfect  in 
their  kind,  and  as  admirably  constructed  as  their 
representatives  found  in  modern  seas  on  which  now 
tropical  suns  shine.  To  these  invertebrata,  next  ap- 
peared in  the  deposits  left  by  the  waters  of  the  Devo- 
nian period,  the  first  vertebrated  animals  in  the  form  of 
fishes."  "  Fishes  not  with  bony  skeletons,  but  of 
cartilagenous  structure,"  the  American  Cyclopedia 
tells  us,  first  appear  in  the  upper  members  of  the 
Silurian.  "  Some  land  plants  are  also  met  with  in  the 
same  group."  "  Fishes  with  bony  structure,  true  ver- 
tebrata,  first  appear  in  the  Upper  Helderburg ;  in  these 
land  plants  too  are  first  met  with,"  i.  e.  about  the 
middle  of  the  Devonian  division.  But  in  the  upper 
Devonian,  —  that  is  in  the  Catskill  and  Upper  Red 
sandstone,  we  have  genera  of  fishes  that  have  been 
described  minutely  by  Hugh  Miller  himself  and  thus 
immortalized  the  Old  Red  sandstone. 

In  Genesis  fishes  are  the  creation  of  the  fifth  day, 
yet  here  we  find  them  on  the  second,  according  to 
Hugh  Miller's  reconciling  attempt;  together  with  co- 
niferous plants  which  are  in  Genesis  the  work  of  the 
third  day.  This  third  day  is  distinguished  by  noth- 
ing but  the  creation  of  plants  and  trees,  and  therefore 
Hugh  Miller  reserves  for  that  the  Carboniferous  period 
when  the  earth,  or  at  least  those  parts  of  our  continent 


THE   THIRD    PERIOD.  151 

where  the  coal  measures  are  found,  had  a  tropical 
climate,  stimulating  the  growth  of  what  are  now 
small  ferns  to  trees  of  a  heighth  of  sixty  or  seventy 
feet.  In  this  period  we  find  not  only  gigantic  forests, 
however,  but  "  Aquatic  reptiles  and  those  forms  of 
animals  adapted  to  moist  tropical  districts,  scarcely 
elevated  above  the^sea  level."  "  Reptiles  related  to  the 
batrachians  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  so-called  saurord 
fishes  on  the  other."  Indeed,  some  of  the  genera  of 
fishes  are  wearing  out  at  this  period,  and  giving  place 
to  higher  forms.  "  The  trilobitcs  which  form  the  Silu- 
rian, had  gradually  lessened  in  number,  as  compared 
with  other  fossils,  disappear,  and  their  places  are 
supplied  by  the  kindred  genus,  limulus  or  crab  king, 
a  family  still  represented  in  our  seas.  About  one 
thousand  and  fifty  species  of  this  gi'oup  have  already 
been  described." 

"  Insects  are  detected  here  too,  as  extinct  species  of 
beetles,  crickets,  cockroaches,  &c.,  and  the  vestiges  of 
marine  mollusca,  coral  and  fishes  preserved  in  the 
sandstone."  Thus  far  we  have  only  quoted  the  de- 
scription given  of  things,  up  to  the  end  of  the  third 
period,  when  according  to  Genesis,  we  ought  not  to 
expect  any  thing  but  herbs  and  plants  and  fruit  trees ! 
True  we  have  all  these,  but  we  have  more  than 
ought  then  to  have    been    created.     We   have   fishes 


152  THE   FOURTH,   FIFTH 

the  creation  of  the  fifth,  and  reptiles  that  of  the  sixth 
day  already  antici  pated  ! 

But  the  point  of  iTiost  importance  is  that  though 
fishes  and  reptiles  and  insects  loith  eyes  exist,  it  is 
not  until  after  this  in  the  fourth  ]3eriod,  that  the  sun 
and  moon  and  stars  are  made  and  set  in  the  firmament. 
In  the  second  great  period  (and  these  periods  mean 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  years)  we  have,  it  will  be 
observed,  fishes,  vertebrate  fishes  in  the  ocean,  and 
plants  on  the  land,  showing  that  its  temperature  and 
light  could  not  have  been  greatly  different  from  that  of 
our  Southern  oceans  and  lands  now.  In  the  third 
period  we  have  a  tropical  climate,  and  a  picture  left  to 
us  of  enormous  ferns  and  trees  and  reptiles,  and  can  it 
be  that  no  ray  of  sun  light  had  ever  yet  stolen  through 
the  supposed  mist.  The  oceans  were  seemingly  as 
large  and  sweeping  then  as  now,  the  water  was  cool 
enough  for  fishes,  why  then  should  wc  suppose  no 
sun  ?  Is  the  supposition  possible  ?  Let  it  be  ob- 
served that  in  these  coal  measures,  we  have  only 
pictures  of  the  low  swampy  ground.  If  cloudy 
steaming  mists  pervaded  these,  can  it  be  supposed 
that  no  ray  of  sun  light  came  down  on  the  moun- 
tain peaks  and  hill  tops  of  the  globe  in  this  period  ? 
There  certainly  is  no  geologic  fact  that  confirms 
this  view. 

In  like  manner,  wc  have  clear  traces  of  birds,  who 


AND    SIXTH   PERIODS.  153 

have  left  their  foot  prints  in  the  mud  of  this  fourth 
period.  And  the  reptiles  are  all  of  a  higher  type. 
No  doubt  all  these  brought  forth  more  abundantly  in 
the  fifth  period.  And  this  would  be  the  authority 
of  Hugh  Miller,  perhaps,  for  thus  arranging  the  days 
or  periods.  But  then  on  the  same  principle,  we 
should  have  to  place  the  creation  of  man  in  the 
seventh  period  instead  of  the  sixth,  and  that  would  put 
the  whole  manifestly  into  confusion,  even  to  his 
mind. 

Still  it  will  be  said,  although  the  days  may  not  be 
precisely  marked,  or  exactly  fitted  yet  by  modern  sci- 
ence to  the  book  of  Genesis,  there  is  enough  to  show 
that  essentially  the  same  order  was  preserved,  and  that 
this  proves  supernatural  knowledge  in  scientific  mat- 
ters. But  as  this  is  not  the  point  at  issue,  we  need  not 
discuss  it.  Perhaps  it  might  be  said  all  scientific 
indications  would  lead  us  to  believe  in  the  existence  of 
fishes  at  least  as  early  as  land  plants,  and  certainly  not 
to  place  one  in  the  third,  and  the  other  in.  the  fifth 
great  period,  but  we  have  no  desbe  to  discuss  geo- 
logical questions  further  than  to  show  that  if  Geology 
and  Genesis  are  to  be  harmonized,  it  is  not  by  this 
system  of  periods  for  days  in  the  manner  proposed 
by  Hugh  Miller,  or  any  thing  like  it.  And  yet  in 
many  of  our  colleges  this  attempt  to  harmonize  what 
cannot    be    reconciled,  seems  the  chief  point  of   geo- 


164  THE   SIX   PERIODS. 

logic  study  with  many.  I  have  taken  a  simply 
scientific  compendium,  written  without  a  thought  of 
aught,  but  giving  a  faithful  record  of  creation  as  it 
presents  itself  to  the  eye  of  the  geologist,  and  crea- 
tion as  it  presents  itself  to  the  man  who  is  resolved 
to  construe  the  days  of  Genesis  into  given  periods. 
Whether  there  is  any  other  way  of  reconciling  them 
or  not  by  ingenuity,  this  at  least  is  clear,  that  there 
is  no  such  revelation  of  scientific  truths  in  Genesis 
as  could  be  of  service  to  the  scientific  man.  There 
is  nothing  that  has  assisted  geologists  in  their  sci- 
ence, but  much  in  the  whole  scheme  so  apparently 
different  from  well  known  facts,  that  geology  has 
suffered  great  prejudice,  opposition  and  retardation 
from  a  mistaken  idolatry  of  the  letter  of  Scripture. 
This  has  led  many  to  conceive  it  necessary  as  Chris- 
tians to  believe  in  Genesis  at  the  expense  of  the 
geological  strata  as  containing  the  Divine  revelation 
not  only  of  religious  but  of  scientific  truth. 

A  more  plausible  method  of  reconciling  the  first 
chapter  of  Genesis  with  Geology,  would  be  that  suggest- 
ed by  Dr.  John  Pye  Smith,  by  drawing  a  line  between 
the  first  and  second  verse^,  and  saying  that  the  former 
belongs  to  tiie  period  before  the  fitting  up  of  the  earth 
for  the  residence  of  man,  and  the  rest  to  six  literal 
days,  with  real  instead  of  mythical  mornings  and 
evenings,  as    many  thousands  of  years  afterwards  as 


THE  SIX   DAYS   NOT   PERIODS.  155 

the  facts  may  demand.  But  this  would  involve  so 
many  difficulties  and  conflicts  with  science  on  account 
of  the  creation  of  an  entirely  new  flora  and  fauna  at 
the  commencement  of  the  residence  of  man  on  earth, 
that  Dr.  Pye  Smith  finally  proposed  to  confine  all  the 
statements  of  this  chapter  (Gen.  1.)  to  that  small  portion 
of  the  globe  first  fitted  up  for  the  residence  of  man ; 
admitting  thus  that  it  cannot  be  fairly  applied  to  the 
whole  habitable  globe  at-  any  period.  But  with  the 
difficulties  of  this  last  interpretation,  we  need  hardly 
trouble  the  reader,  as  it  in  fact  gives  up  the  literal 
accordance  of  the  record  in  Genesis  with  the  geology 
of  the  globe. 

To  us  it  appears  that  Genesis  has  a  higher  use  to 
serve  in  regard  to  our  faith  as  Christians,  1.  e-  to  check 
our  tendency  to  Bibliolatry  and  to  prevent  our  resting 
in  the  letter  instead  of  "the  spirit  and  power  of  that 
which  the  Bible  expresses.  It  is  more  safe,  truth  loving 
and  Christian,  to  give  up  pur  ideas  of  Inspiration  as 
being  identical  with  infallibility,  especially  in  matters 
of  science,  and  own  that  the  writer  wrote  according  to 
the  best  and  truest  knowledge  he  then  possessed,  and 
sought  to  sanctify  the  science  of  his  age  as  we  must 
do  that  of  ours,  neither  being  perfect.  The  wiitcr  of 
Genesis  dreamed  not  of  being  thought  infallible,  but 
taught  earnestly  and  religiously  with  the  best  light  then 
attainable,  and  for  our  practical  guidance.     If  we  love 


156  THE   SIX   DAYS   NOT   PERIODS. 

the  letter  of  Scripture,  we  must  love  its  spirit  better, 
and  confess  that  more  cannot  be  claimed  for  the  writer 
of  this  book  than  sincerity,  and  as  most  inspiring  be- 
cause inspired  and  pious  recognition  of  God  in  science. 
Faith  in  this,  is  the  great  lack  of  our  age,. and  every 
age.  We  get  lost  in  minuteness  of  detail  and  fail  of 
a  sufficiently  comprehensive  view  of  God's  supreme 
relations  to  us,  as  the  author,  architect,  and  therefore 
controller  of  the  Universe. 

III.  There  is  another  and  more  specific  external 
difficulty  to  maintaining  the  infallibility  of  the  Old 
Testament  inspiration  which  has  been  already  alluded 
to,  and  which  will,  I  feel  sure,  appear  more  and  more 
insurperable  every  year  from  the  direction  in  which 
scientific  enquiry  is  advancing.  It  is  the  Antiquity  of 
the  race  of  man  upon  the  earth.  We  have  seen 
already  our  present  Hebrew  Scriptures  have  been 
tampered  with  on  the  subject  of  the  Chronology  and 
that  our  systems  now  depend  upon  whether  Seth  was 
one  hundred  and  five  years  old  or  two  hundred  and 
five,  when  he  begat  his  first  born,  and  questions  of  that 
nature.  But  all  of  these  dwindle  into  insignificance 
compared  with  those  now  opening  up  from  the  great 
stone  leaved  book  of  nature,  and  which  seem  to  render 
it  probable  that  the  race  of  man  so  far  from  having 
inhabited  this  earth  onJy  for  six  or  seven  thousand 
years,  cannot  well  have  lived  in  it  for  less  than  sixty  or 


GEOLOGY   AND   MAN.  157 

seventy  thousand,  or  more  probably  six  or  seven  hun- 
dred thousand. 

Thus  far,  it  has  been  generally  said  that  in  one  re- 
spect at  least.  Geology  has  verified  Scripture  chronology 
by  showing  clearly  that  the  race  of  man  has  only  exist- 
ed in  recent  periods.  And  this  is  vmquestionably  true. 
Even  after  the  vast  ages  of  the  primary  and  secondary 
formations,  the  Tertiary  has  been  divided  into  three  pe- 
riods by  the  proportion  of  the  fossil  shell  contained  in 
them  being  recognized  as  identical  with  those  now 
found  living  in  our  waters.  In  the  lower  tertiary  strata, 
there  were  about  three  and  a  half  per  cent  identical  with 
recent ;  —  in  the  middle  tertiary  about  seventeen  per 
cent  and  in  the  upper  tertiary  from  thiry-five  to  fifty  per 
cent.  Hence  they  were  named  by  Lyell,  Eocene  from 
>/C0i,'  and  y.uiio^  the  dawn  of  the  recent,  Miocene  or  less 
recent,  and  Pliocene  or  more  recent.  Yet  the  Miocene 
and  older  Pliocene  deposits  contain  the  rerriains  of 
Mammalia,  reptiles  and  fish,  exclusively  of  extinct 
species.  Jn  none  of  these  strata  do  we  find  any  traces 
of  man.  It  is  only  in  the  post-tertiary  that  we  find 
proofs  of  his  existence.  But  this  latest  grand  division 
is  still  to  be  divided  into  two  groups,  the  Post- Pliocene 
which  is  earliest,  and  the  Recent  or  most  modern,  in 
which  we  have  no  extinct  races  of  mammals,  (of  the 
least  consequence.)  But  in  the  Post-Pliocene,  those 
strata   are   found  in  which  the   shells  being  recent,  a 


158  GEOLOGY   AND   MAN. 

portion  and  often  a  considerable  one  of  the  accom- 
panying fossil  quadrupeds,  belongs  to  extinct  species, 
the  land  having  undergone  more  changes  than  the 
temperature  and  quality  of  the  water. 

So  long  as  our  knowledge  of  human  remains  ex- 
tended only  to  the  most  Recent  or  modern  periods, 
Geology  did  not  appear  to  contradict,  but  to  confirm 
the  account  of  Genesis  as  to  the  chronology  of  Inan, 
though  not  of  other  animals.  I  have  mentioned  a 
circumstance  which  more  than  twenty  years  ago,  in 
spite  of  the  somewhat  careless  statement  of  Dr.  Koch, 
led  me  to  doubt  if  some  races  of  man  might  not  be 
proved  to  have  existed  in  the  Post- Pliocene  period  in 
Missouri  along  with  the  Mammoth,  the  Missourium, 
and  other  gigantic  but  extinct  animals. 

In  the  same  period,  Sir  Charles  Lyell  has  now  be- 
come well  satisfied  that  in  Europe,  arrow  heads  of  flint 
and  other  works  of  rude  pottery  and  art,  together  with 
human  bones  and  bone  needles  and  other  implements 
attest  the  existence  of  human  beings,  some  dwelling  in 
caves,  some  who  must  have  existed  for  ages  in  pretty 
populous  settlements,  judging  by  the  size  of  the 
mounds  of  oyster  shells  and  other  remains  left  by 
them. 

The  pre-historic  races  have  been  now  found  to 
classify  themselves  according  to  their  progress,  men 
always  seeming  to  advance  in  art,  thus :     At  first  they 


BONE   CAVES.  159 

use  stone  implements  of  war  and  the  chase,  —  stone 
arrow  heads  like  those  of  our  own  Indians  of  the  most 
barbarous  races,  stone  hammers  and  hatchets  and 
spears.  In  the  course  of  ages  (for  improvement  moves 
very  slowly  at  first,  and  until  they  get  to  the  point  of 
reading  and  writing  records  of  their  knowledge,)  they 
learn  to  chip  and  prepare  these  more  and  more  care- 
fully, and  to  use  bone  needles  seven  or  eight  inches 
long.  One  of  these  found  imbedded  with  human 
remains  and  the  bones  of  a  rhinoceros  in  a  cave  near 
Liege,  is  a  polished  and  jointed  needle  shaped  bone, 
with  a  hole  pierced  obliquely  through  it  at  the  base. 
With  these  they  clearly  used  to  sew  the  skins  of  the 
animals  they  slew  for  clothing,  some  of  the  sldn  "  with 
the  hair  off"  having  been  recently  found  in  one  of 
these  Belgian  caves.  Huge  elephants,  suited  to  a  cold 
,  climate,  were  their  game,  and  the  reindeer,  the  extinct 
horse,  with  the  cave  bear,  v/ere  animals  they  killed. 
The  bones  of  many  species  now  extinct,  and  many 
more  common  to  us  are  found  in  such  connection  with 
those  of  man,  as  to  show  that  they  were  contempo- 
raries and  formed  his  prey.  He  even  cracked  their 
bones  to  get  out  the  marrow.  The  teeth  and  the 
skulls  of  these  men  are  found,  and  their  bones,  one  of 
the  most  ancient,  the  Neanderthal  bones  indicating 
enormous  strength  and  muscular  development,  with  a 
skull  the  most  brutal  ever  discovered.     Instead,  there- 


160  STONE,   BEONZE   AND    IRON. 

fore,  of  beginning  with  a  golden  age,  from  which  there 
has  been  gradual  deterioration,  physically,  morally  and 
intellectually,  the  indications  of  science  would  all  show 
that  even  the  age  of  stone  must  have  been  one  of 
great  progress.  It  is  succeeded  at  length  by  an  age 
in  which  bronze  implements  superceded  those  of  stone, 
and  much  higher  degrees  of  refinement  were  attained. 
That  period  in  turn  was  followed  by  one  of  iron  from 
which  all  historical  progress  must  be  dated. 

In  the  Cabinet  of  the  Scientific  School  at  Cam- 
bridge, on  shelves  one  above  another,  are  carefully 
arranged  specimens  from  each  of  the  three  stages 
found  at  the  bottom  of  the  Swiss  Lakes,  out  in 
which  are  still  to  be  seen  when  the  waters  are  low, 
the  charred  remains  of  piles  on  which  three  successive 
races  of  men  have  lived,  and  from  which  the  last  have 
been  driven  by  fire,  but  of  none  of  which  history 
furnishes  us  with  record. 

The  Belgian  Caves  have  been  very  carefully  ex- 
plored by  Sir  Charles  Lycll,  the  bones  of  some  hun- 
dreds altogether  of  human  beings  have  been  examined, 
and  the  results  are  condensed  by  him  thus  :  "  I  may 
conclude  by  quoting  a  saying  of  Professor  Agassiz 
that  whenever  a  new  and  startling  fact  is  brought  to 
light  in  science,  people  first  say, 'it  is  not  true,'  then 
that  '  it  is  contrary  to  religion,'  and  lastly,  that  '  every 
body  knew  it  before.'     If  I   were   considering   merely 


A   BELGIAN   CAVE.  161 

the  cultivators  of  Geology,  I  should  say  that  the  former 
co-existence  of  man  with  many  extinct  mammalia,  had 
already  gone  through  these  three  phases  in  the  progress 
of  every  scientific  truth  towards  aqpeptance.  But  the 
grounds  of  this  belief  have  not  yet  been  laid  before  the 
general  public." 

Since  the  above  extract-  was  written,  (in  May,  1865,) 
a,  cave  was  discovered  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Lesse 
in  Belgium,  opposite  the  hamlet  of  Chaleux,  upon 
which  M.  Dupont  recently  made  an  instructive  report 
to  the  ]\Iinister  of  the  Interior.  It  appears  from  it, 
that  all  the  bone  caves  of  this  vicinity  furnish  indis- 
putable evidence  of  this  fact,  that  the  cave  dwellers 
were  destroyed  by  a  sudden  inundation  which  covered 
the  whole  of  Belgium  and  the  riorth  of  France,  The 
evidences  of  this,  M.  Dupont  finds  in  the  limon  of 
,  Hesbarge,  and  the  yellow  clay  of  the  fields,  and  in 
the  peculiar  debris  in  the  caverns.  The  number  of 
objects  found  in  this  cave  is  greater  than  that  ob- 
tained from  the  whole  of  those  previously  explored. 
Of  worked  flints  in  various  stages  of  manufacture, 
thirty  thousand  have  been  collected.  Fossil  shells  per- 
forated, are  some  from  Rheims,  some  from  the 
department  of  Seine  et  Oise.  A  few  shark's  teeth 
were  found,  and  those  of  horses  and  bones  of  the 
water  rat.  ^'  These  ancient  people  and  their  customs 
re-appear,  after  having  been  forgotten  for  thousands  of 


162  A   BELGIAN   CAYE. 

years,  and  like  the  fabulous  bird  in  whose  ashes  are 
found  the  germ  of  a  new  life,  antiquity  becomes  re- 
generated from  its  own  debris.  We  see  them  in  then- 
dark  subterranean  dwellings  surrounding  the  hearth, 
which  is  protected  by  the  supernatural  power  of  im- 
mense, fantastically  shaped  bones,  engaged  in  patiently 
making  their  flint  tools  and  utensils  of  reindeer  horn, 
in  the  midst  of  pestilential  emanations  from  the  animal 
remains,  which  their  indifference  allowed  them  to 
retain  in  their  dwelling.  The  skins  of  wild  beasts, 
having  the  hair  removed,  were  stitched  together  by  the 
aid  of  their  sharpened  flints  and  ivory  needles,  and 
served  as  clothing.  We  see  them  pursuing  wild 
animals,  armed  with  arrows  and  lances  tipped  with  a 
barb  of  flint.  Wc  take  part  in  their  feasts,  where  a 
horse,  bear  or  reindeer,  replaces  on  days  when  their 
hunting  has  been  successful,  the  tainted  flesh  of  the , 
rat,  their  onJy  resource  against  famine.  Their  trading 
extended  as  far  as  the  regions  now  forming  part  of 
France,  from  whose  inhabitants  they  obtained  shells, 
jet,  with  which  they  delight  to  ornament  themselves, 
and  the  flint  which  is  so  valuable  to  them.  But  a 
falling  in  of  the  roof  drives  them  from  their  principal 
dwelling,  in  which  lie  buried  the  objects  of  their  faith 
and  their  domestic  utensils,  and  they  are  forced  to  seek 
another  habitation.  We  know  nothing  certain  of  the 
relation  of  these  people  with  those  of  earlier  times.  Had 


FIRST   TRACES   OF   MAN.  163 

they  ancestors  in  this  country  ?  The  great  discoveries 
of  our  illustrious  compatriot,  Schmerling,  and  those 
which  Professor  Malaise  has  made  at  Engchoul  seem 
to  prove  that  the  men  whose  traces  I  have  brought  to 
light  on  the  Lesse  did  not  belong  to  the  indigenous 
races  of  Belgium,  but  were  only  the  successors  of  the 
more  ancient  population.  I  have  even  met  with  cer- 
tain evidences  of  our  primordial  ancestors  at  Chaleux, 
but  the  trail  was  lost  as  soon  as  found.  Our  knowledge 
of  these  ancestors  stops  short  at  this  point." 

The  shells  and  skeletons  found  irabeded  in  the  Hes- 
bayan  mud,  show  that  this  Deluge  which  swept  off" 
the  last  race  of  cave  dwellers,  found  the  Elephans  E. 
primigenius,  and  the  Rhinosceros  tichorchinus,  then  in- 
habitants of  that  neighborhood.  Upon  the  whole, 
therefore,  it  can  hardly  be  doubted  from  these  caves 
alone,  that  there  were  races  of  men  in  Belgium  and  ail 
over  Europe  from  the  period  soon  after  the  recovery 
from  the  glacial  ages  that  is  in  the  very  earliest  ages 
of  the  Post  Pliocene.  This  period  is  indeed  Geologi- 
cally '-recent^  but  yet  so  remote  as  to  be  probably 
before  the  close  of  the  second  Continental  period, 
when  there  was  nothing  but  solid  land,  where,  now 
flows  the  British  channel,  and  when  Ireland  even  was 
still  attached  to  England,  to  Scotland,  and  to  France, 
—  a  period  sufficiently  remote  to  cause  all  historical 


164  FIRST   TRACES    OF   MAN. 

times  to  appear  quite  insignificant  in  duration,  when 
compared  with  the  antiquity  of  the  human  race. 

The  rate  of  progress  in  knowledge,  and  the  arts  and 
sciences,  proceeds  in  geometrical  ratio.  Hence  the 
slow  advance  of  early  ages.  "  The  vast  distance  of 
time  which  separated  the  origin  of  the  higher  and  lower 
levels  of  gravel  of  the  valley  of  the  Somme,  both  of 
them  rich  in  flint  implements  of  similar  shape  (although 
those  of  oval  form  predominate  in  the  newer  gravels) 
leads  to  the  conclusion  that  the  state  of  the  arts  in  those 
early  times,  remained  stationary  for  almost  indefinite 
periods."  *  And  yet  men  climbed  up  by  degrees  to  the 
civilization  cf  Egypt.  The  mud  of  the  Nile  for  sixty 
feet  deep,  below  the  Perystyle  of  the  obelisk  of  Heliop- 
olis  has  been  penetrated,  and  is  supposed  to  prove  an 
antiquity  of  at  least  twelve  thousand  years  before  the 
erection  of  that  Obelisk,  and  perhaps  thirty  thousand. 
At  the  lowest  of  these  borings  however,  while  we  find 
traces  of  burnt  bricks  and  Egyptian  art  and  civilization, 
while  we  find  the  bones  of  several  sorts  of  existing  ani- 
mals, no  bones  or  traces  of  extinct  species  are  found  of 
any  kind  whatever,  nor  of  a  stone  period  of  art.  When 
the  penetration  has  gone  down  to  these,  we  may  per- 
haps get  something  like  a  connected  view  of  the  history 
of  man's  existence  on  the  earth,  and  be  able  to  begin 
the  conjecture  in  years,  as  to  how  long  ago  it  is  since 

*  Lyell  on  the  Aiitifiuity  of  Man,  Chap.  19. 


AGASSIZ   ON   GENESIS.  165 

the  latest  men  of  the  stone  age  in  the  valley  of  the 
Somme  existed. 

Those  who  would  fairly  estimate  the  scientific  evi- 
dence on  this  subject,  should  carefully  study  the 
remarkable  worlv  of  Sir  Charles  Lyell  on  the  An- 
tiquity of  Man.  Instead  of  six  thousand  years,  it  is 
probable  man  has  been  on  the  earth  at  least  two 
hundred  thousand.  Indeed,  Sir  Charles  appears  to 
suspect  that  we  may  yet  come  across  the  proofs  of 
human  existence  in  Northern  Europe  before  the  Glacial 
period. 

What  already  appears  certain,  must  render  any 
theory  of  Inspiration,  which  suspends  our  whole  faith 
in  Christianity  upon  the  literal  and  infallible  accu- 
racy of  Genesis  increasingly  mischievous.  And  yet 
in  this  book,  properly  regarded,  we  may  trace  an 
inspired  preface  to  the  records  of  the  great  struggle 
between  Theism  and  Idolatry,  and  perhaps  Pantheism. 
The  purpose  of  it  is  to  teach  in  the  forms  of  the 
popular  belief  as  to  the  history  of  the  origin  of  all 
things,  that  the  One  living  and  true  God  was  the 
Originator  of  the  order  of  the  Universe.  Professor 
Agassiz,  indeed,  suggested  several  years  ago,  •  that 
there  is  no  necessary  contradiction  between  the  book 
of  Genesis  and  the  supposition  of  the  race  of  man 
having  been  on  the  earth  for  any  number  of  thou- 
sands  of   years ;    provided  we  are  willing  to  consider 


166  GENESIS. 

the  account  of  the  Creation  of  Man  on  the  sixth 
day  in  Gen.  1,  distinct  from  and  prior  to  the  other 
account  of  the  creation  of  Adam  and  Eve  given  in 
the  second  chapter.  Nor  is  there  any  doubt  but  that 
these  two  chapters  are  from  distinct  documents,  drawn 
up  by  distinct  writers,  though  inedited  at  a  later  period 
by  a  common  compiler.  The  theological  purpose  is, 
however,  one,  i.  e.  to  show  that  the  creation  of  man, 
whether  in  one  original  pair  or  more,  was  the  work  of 
the  Allwise  God.  Further  than  this,  the  book  of 
Genesis  was  apparently  intended  to  preserve,  so  far  as  the 
writer  was  able,  the  ancestral  records  of  the  Jewish 
race.  The  Editor  traces  them  back  to  the  man,  (for 
Adam  means  simply  this,)  the  earliest  he  knew,  and 
gives  the  best  records  he  could  collect,  connecting  with 
him  Abraham  and  the  twelve  tribes.  These  records, 
from  their  evident  simplicity  of  arrangement  and 
truthfulness  of  intention  are,  so  far  as  they  go,  the 
most  ancient  and  valuable  written  records  we  have 
preserved  to  us  in  the  present  time,  in  respect  to  the 
spread  and  distribution  of  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
While  all  other  nations,  when  they  got  back  to  the  end 
of  their  authentic  documents,  added  on  others  in- 
definitely, and  made  up  periods  of  thousands  of  years, 
there  does  not  appear  to  have  been  a  single  geneolog- 
ical  table  added  in  those  of  Genesis,  although  much 
may   have    been    omitted.     The  number  of  years  are 


TWO   ACCOUNTS.  167 

not  now  to  be  depended  upon.  But  when  the  his- 
torian got  back  to  the  end  of  his  data,  he  placed  the 
first  man  there,  and  so  cut  short  a  chronology  he 
disdained  to  fill  up  fi-om  his  own  imagination,  and 
thus  it  is  that  what  remains  makes  his  statement 
of  the  world's  history  so  short. 


168  INTERNAL   DIFFICULTIES. 


CHAPTER    V. 

THE  INTERNAL  DIFFICULTIES  AS  TO  THE  INFALLIBILITY 
OF  THE  INSPIRATION  OF  THE  OLD  TESTAMENT,  CON- 
SIDERED. 

I. 

THOSE  who  most  strenuously  maintain  the  infalli- 
bility of  the  Inspiration  of  the  Hebrew  text,  little 
consider  to  what  an  extent  the  sense  now  assigned  to 
that  text  is  the  result  of  faith  in  the  uninspired  Jewish 
traditions  and  interpretations.  Within  the  last  century 
or  two,  by  degrees,  far  the  largest  and  most  important 
part  of  what  used  to  be  considered  by  Christians  as 
the  infallible -teaching  of  the  Old  Testament,  has  been 
swept  away.  The  Rabbinical  Schools  erroneously 
taught  that  the  words  of  Scripture  mean  all  that  they 
possibly  can  mean.  Their  maxim  was  that "  mountains 
of  sense  hang  suspended  on  every  letter  of  Scripture." 
The  early  Christians  borrowed  the  allegorizing  system 
from  the  Rabbins.     Origen,  following  the  Alexandrine 


THE   ALLEGORIZING    SYSTEM.  169 

custom  of  Philo  and  others,  converted  into  allegory  the 
whole  of  the  Creation  and  fall  of  man.  The  Jesuits 
in  later  ages  carried  this  out,  and  made  '  the  greater 
light  to  rule  the  day,'  to  mean  the  Pope,  and  the  lesser 
light  and  stars,  the  Catholic  Princes !  The  followers 
of  Cocceius  maintained  in  the  Protestant  Church,  that 
"  all  the  possible  meanings  of  a  word  in  the  Scripture 
are  to  be  united."  Swedenborg  went  still  further. 
When  it  is  borne  in  mind  that  as  early  as  the  time  of 
Origen,  beside  literal  and  hidden  senses,  these  latter 
had  been  divided  into  moral  and  mystical,  and  even 
the  latter  of  these  subdivided  into  celestial  and  ter- 
restrial, or  allegorical  and  anagogical,  we  may  think 
what  all  this  would  involve.  In  addition  to  this,  they 
believed  that  "  the  Vv'hole  of  the  Old  Testament  his- 
tory was  a  kind  of  emblematical  fore-shadowing  of 
Christ,  that  the  prophecies  of  the  ancient  seers,  treated 
in  their  literal  import  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  what- 
ever was  to  occur  down  to  the  end  of  time  was  all 
pre-figurcd  in  the  Old  Testament."  It  is  quite  clear, 
therefore,  that  within  the  last  two  hundred  years,  a 
more  critical,  literal  and  confined  interpretation  has  by 
degrees  swept  from  the  faith  of  the  present  generation 
far  more  than  half  of  wliat  used  to  be  considered 
essentially  taught  by  the  Old  Testament.  This 
vicious  system  of  allegorizing  seems  to  have  sprung 
up  before  hand  among  the  Jews,  and  even  before  that 


170  OLD   TESTAMENT 

among  the  Pagan  commentators  on  Homer,  and  the 

sacred  books  of  heathenism  even  in  India.  The 
whole  probably  sprung  out  of  a  superstitious  view  of 
Inspiration,  and  was  used  afterwards  as  a  skillful 
means  of  explaining  away  contradictions,  and  much 
more  that  could  not  well  be  believed  literally  true, 
adding  on  the  authority  of  the  old  and  established 
new  and  unauthorized  dogmas. 

II.  Another  mass  of  traditional  interpretation  of  the 
Old  Testament  wilt  surely  be  swept  away  from  our 
ideas  of  infalUble  Scripture,  in  proportion  as  it  is  dis- 
tinctly borne  in  mind  that  our  present  Massoretic 
Hebrew  text  is  avowedly  only  a  late  interpretation  or 
writing  out,  so  to  speak,  of  the  short  hand  notes  in 
which  the  original  text  was  alone  inscribed,  until  after 
the  Christian  era  had  set  in,  and  Hebrew  become  a 
dead  language.  Even  to  this  day,  the  official  Syna- 
gogue Hebrew  MSS.  are  written  entirely  without 
any  vowel  points,  the  pronunciation  being  a  matter  of 
traditions  and  arbitrary  rules  of  the  ciders,  which  rules 
and  traditions  though  confirmed  by  the  points  and  by 
other  translations  like  the  Septuagint,  arc  certainly  not 
infallible. 

The  case  is  briefly  this :  So  long  as  the  Hebrew 
language  was  a  spoken  tongue,  it  was  written  witiiout 
vowels  or  any  letters  being  doubled.  This  is  just  the 
way  our  short  hand  writers  now   take   down  speeches, 


POINTS    FALLIBLE.  171 

and  is  generally  sufficient  to  remind  the  reporter  of  a 
speech,  the  ideas  of  which  liave  been  distinctly  and 
recently  understood.  Some  years  ago,  a  friend  under- 
took to  learn  short  hand.  Hessian  boots  were  worn 
in  those  days  with  little  tassels,  one  in  front  of  each. 
Going  out  hastily,  this  gentleman  discovered  that  a 
tassel  was  torn  off  one  of  his  boots,  and  to  show 
liis  proficiency  in  the  new  art,  he  wrote  to  his  teacher 
in  another  room  to  ask :  "  Have  you  an  old  boot 
tassel?"  The  vowels  being  all  omitted,  and  also  the 
doubling  of  the  letters,  signs  were  made  for  the  follow- 
ing letters :  "  Hv  y  n  Id  bt  tsl,"  which  his  friend  not 
unnaturally  read  thus :  "  Have  you  an  old  boot  to 
sell?^'  But  why  his  pupil  could  want  to  be  buy- 
ing an  old  boot  from  him,  required  more  explana- 
tion than  short  hand  could  well  give.  Now  the 
dilHculty  of  the  ancient  Hebrew  without  points  is 
just  this :  that  although  where  persons  are  very  famil- 
iar with  the  subject  and  language,  this  style  of 
writing  was  ordinarily  sufficient  at  least  to  guide 
the  Priests,  and  remind  them  of  the  law,  so  that  they 
could  explain  it  to  the  people  ;  yet  there  would  always 
be  left  many  cases  where  the  meaning  was  extremely 
doubtful,  without  the  aid  and  authority  of  tradition. 

We  know,  for  instance,  the  important  difference  in 
the  sense  often  occasioned  by  the  presence  or  absence 
of   the  definite    article.     To  write  a  memorial  or  de- 


172  OLD    TESTAMENT   POINTS 

cree  in  a  book  is  one  thing,  to  write  it  in  the  book, 
will  mean  a  particular  boolc,  the  Pentateuch  perhaps 
in  such  a  place  as  Ex.  17 :  14.  But  in  Hebrew, 
there  are  thousands  of  cases  where,  although  this 
distinction  is  expressed  clearly  enough,  if  you  admit 
only  the  pointed  text,  yet  the  vowels  and  doubling 
by  the  points  having  been  added  since  the  Christian 
era,  possess  only  the  authority  of  a  later  tradition,  per- 
haps against  that  of  an  earlier  translation.* 

Suppose  then  we  give  up  the  infallibility  of  the 
vowels,  and  yet  hold  on  to  that  of  the  Consonants, 
how  will  the  case  stand  ?  Take  the  regular  verb  bop, 
without  the  points  it  may  mean  nine  different  things. 
It  may  be  a  noun,  a  verb,  or  a  participle.  It  may  be 
active,  passive,  or  reduplicative.  It  may  stand  for  any 
one  of  nine  different  words,  and  will  in  different  places 
have  to  be  read  either  qatal^  he  did  kill,  qetol  to  kill, 
(infin.)  or  kill  thou,  (imp.) ;  qolel^  killing;  qittel^  he  has 
killed  many ;  qattal  or  qaUol,  to  kill  many ;  qattci,  do 
thou  kill  many  ;  quttal  and  quttol,  to  be  massacred ;  or 
qetel,  slaughter.  It  is  nearly  the  same  with  every  verb 
and  noun  throughout  the  whole  Hebrew  language, 
especially  the  more  regular  verbs  and  nouns.  "  How 
imperfect  and  indefinite  such  a  mode  of  writing  was, 
is  easily  seen ;  yet  during  the  whole  period  in  which 
the  Hebrew  was  a  spoken  language,  no  otlier  sign  for 
*  See  Davidson's  Introduction,  Vol.  I,  p.  107. 


UNINSPIRED.  173 

vowels  were  employed  than  the  1  and  "^  used  also  as 
consonants.  Reading  was  therefore  a  harder  task  than 
with  our  more  adequate  modes  of  writing,  and  much 
must  have  been  supplied  by  the  reader's  knowledge  of 
the  living  mother  tongue."* 

^an  might  be  read  dabhar,  a  word ;  debher,  a  pes- 
tilence ;  dibber,  he  hath  spoken ;  dabber,  to  speak ; 
dobher,  speaking,  or  dubbar,  it  has  been  spoken. 

The  fact  is,  then,  that  the  Hebrew  tongue  was  so 
imperfect  a  language,  until  the  vowels  were  added  to 
it,  that  the  Old  Testament,  as  originally  wiitten,  was 
only  a  sort  of  help  to  the  memory  and  traditionary 
teachings  of  the  fallible  scribes  and  priests  to  whom 
w^ere  committed  the  oracles  of  God.  '  A  word,' 
and  'a  pestilence'  were  expressed  by  the  same  con- 
sonants, and  whether  it  was  the  one  or  the  other, 
had  to  be  either  guessed  out  from  the  context,  or 
determined  by  some  translation,  or  remembered  and 
arbitrarily  received  on  the  authority  of  the  living 
teacher.  It  was  a  language,  indeed,  capable  of  hand- 
ing down  to  us  through  these  laborious  and  imperfect 
processes,  the  simple,  sublime  and  Divine  theology 
committed  to  the  Jewish  nation, —  a  law  the  glory  of 
all  subsequent  ages,  hymns  the  most  majestic  and 
sublime  the  world  has  ever  seen,  exhibiting  a  religious 
culture    a   thousand   times   before  that   of   any   other 

*  See  Conant's  Gescnius,  Sec.  7. 


174  OLD   TESTAMENT  POINTS 

records  which  Greece  or  India  left  to  us.  But  it  has 
been  preserved  in  a  language  which,  while  it  suggests 
the  loftiest  inspiration  of  thought  at  every  line,  seems 
to  have  been  constructed  on  purpose  to  render  the  idea 
of  verbal  infallibility  peculiarly  improbable,  —  a  lan- 
guage which  leaned  upon  the  inward  inspiration  of 
the  living  fallible  teacher  in  every  line  and  letter  for  its 
support,  and  intelligibility.  Let  any  tolerable  Hebrew 
scholar,  used  only  to  the  pointed  text,  take  up  a  copy 
of  the  unpointed  Old  Testament,  and  he  will  find  that 
except  so  iiar  as  his  memory  of  the  passage  assists 
him,  he  has  the  language  of  that  unpointed  original 
yet  to  learn. 

In  addition  to  this,  let  any  one  look  over  the  history 
of  the  Old  Testament  MSS.  during  the  long,  un- 
critical period  before  the  formation  of  the  Massoretic 
text.  During  this  time  of  near  a  thousand  years, 
say  from  about  two  hundred  years  before  Christ,  to 
seven  hundred  or  eight  hundred  after,  changes  of  dates 
and  perhaps  other  readings  could  be  and  were  in- 
terpolated flagrantly  into  the  text.  The  doctrine  of 
infallibility,  therefore,  if  true  in  the  original  unpointed 
MSS.,  could  not  assure  us  now  that  the  present 
Hebrew  Massoretic  text,  or  any  translation  from  it 
was  infallible,  as  to  such  a  matter  even  as  the  World's 
Chronology  by  a  thousand  yeai*s  and  more. 

III.  The    Documentary    and    anonymous  character 


AND   BOOKS   ANONYMOUS.  175 

of  several  of  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  forms 
a  serious  difficulty  to  the  belief  of  an  infallible  ver- 
bal Divine  guidance  of  the  writers.  Any  good  man 
will  find  in  these  documents,  a  boundless  source  of 
reflection,  instruction  and  holy  thought,  who  reads 
them  as  the  sacred  library  of  that  nation  who  fn-st 
made  faith,  worship  and  obedience  to  the  One  only 
true  and  living  God,  the  basis  of  its  national  life, 
and  who  thus  became  the  foundation  on  which  Jesus 
Christ  subsequently  built  his  more  spiritual  king- 
dom. Or  if  a  man  read  these  books  to  trace  the 
onward  progress  of  the  religious  history  of  our  race, 
he  will  fmd  much  to  excite  his  adoration  by  the 
display  of  the  perpetual  presence  of  God  in  history, 
and  the  growth  of  our  race  in  the  knowledge  of  Him, 
the  knowledge  of  whom  is  life.  The  psalms  and 
hymns  and  prayers  will  be  the  best  instruction  for  liis 
own  worship,  and  he  will  find  that  the  more  he  studies 
these  books,  the  more  important  to  his  faith,  comfort 
and  instruction  in  righteousness  do  they  become.  But 
he  who  attempts  to  read  them  as  the  utterances  of  a 
verbally  inspired  dictatioji,  will  fmd  greater  perplexities, 
misgivings  and  doubts,  the  more  closely  he  attempts 
their  study.  By  claiming  for  them  what  they  never 
pretended  for  themselves,  and  what  is  not  true  of 
them,  confusion  and  contradiction  are  thrown  around 


176  HEBREW    BOOKS 

the  wliole,  and  scepticism  is  infused  into  the   minds  of 
those  who  thus  study  them. 

Out  of  thirty-nine  books  in  all,  we  cannot  pretend 
to  know  the  names  of  the  authors  of  more  than  thir- 
teen or  fourteen.  These  are  mostly  writers  of  the 
least  important  books  of  the  whole,  such  as  Ezekiel, 
Haggai,  and  Zechariah.  Ezra  and  Nehemiah,  indeed, 
exercised  an  important  influence  in  restoring  and  per- 
haps editing  several  of  the  most  important  books  of  the 
Old  Testament  into  their  present  form,  if  tradition  may 
be  trusted,  but  how  much  they  did  we  know  not. 
How  many  of  the  Psalms  were  really  written  by 
David,  or  those  whose  names  they  bear,  none  now  can 
pretend  to  decide.  Even  the  Hebrew  and  Septuagint 
are  on  this  quite  at  variance.  As  to  I  and  H  Samuel, 
I  and  H  Kings,  I  and  H  Chronicles,  they  are  clearly 
anonymous,  as  arc  Joshua  and  .Judges.  It  cannot 
now,  we  suppose,  be  considered  necessary  to  maintain 
that  the  first  and  second  parts  of  Isaiah  were  written 
by  the  same  person,  or  the  Chaldean  passages  in  Dan- 
iel by  the  author  of  the  Hebrew  portions  of  that 
book.  There  are  no  more  beautiful,  touching  and 
truly  inspired  passages  in  the  whole  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment than  Isaiah  2  :  2-5,  and  Micah  4  :  1-4,  but  is  it 
therefore  necessary  to  believe  that  an  infallible  Spirit 
dictated  twice  over  almost  verbatim,  those  two  passa- 
ges separately  to  two  difi'erent  prophets  ?     May  we  not 


LARGELY    ANONYMOUS.  177 

suppose  that  one   borrowed  from  the  other?     Let  the 
reader  put  the  two  side  by  side  and  determine. 

In  Isaiah,  in  Jeremiah,  in  nearly  all  the  chief  books 
of  the  Old  Testament,  we  have  not  a  few  references 
to,  and  compilations  from  each  other,  and  from  other 
writings.  It  has  been  commonly  asserted,  that  all 
this  is  no  objection  to  a  belief  in  verbal  inspu-ation, 
the  Holy  Spirit  being  supposed  to  secure  infallibility 
in  the  selection.  But  will  the  facts  in  these  cases  favor 
a  theory  such  as  this?  Our  book  of  Psalms,  for 
instance,  is  a  compilation,  or  rather  a  binding  up  to- 
gether of  five  distinct  collections,  some  of  which 
were  certainly  composed  for  the  temple  worship. 
Others  contain  sacred  poems,  which  the  best  writers  of 
any  age  would  gladly  claim  as  the  noblest  literature 
of  the  world.  No  other  \\Titings  have  so  elevated, 
comforted,  strengthened  and  fed  the  most  excellent, 
re-claimed  the  most  vicious,  or  so  decided  the  feeble 
purposes  of  those  seeking  the  better  life.  But  when 
we  find  two  Psalms  like  14  and  53,  (let  the  reader 
place  them  side  by  side,)  arc  we  to  say  that  this 
repetition  is  by  infallible  dictation  of  the  Spirit  of 
God?  Or  may  we  not  rather  learn  from  the  com- 
parison,  to  take  higher  and  broader  views  of  the 
nature  of  inspiration?  Let  us  fairly  grant  that  in 
putting  together  the  volumes  of  lyrics  of  the  sacred 
library,    two    copies    of    a    Psalm,  one    substantially 


178  DATE    OF   THE 

Elohistic,  and  the  other,  a  Jehovistic  edition  of  the 
same,  by  human  fallibility  and  mistake,  got  bound  up 
together  in  the  same  general  collection,  as  if  they  were 
distinct  Psalms.  De  Wette  considers  Ps.  1 :  41  as  the 
original  nucleus.  The  second  book  from  42  to  72  was 
added  from  various  collections.  But  the  large  proportion 
of  Elohistic  Psalms  would  show  that  they  may  probably 
be  looked  upon  as  the  older  of  the  two.  Ps,  70  is 
is  the  same  as  40 :  13-17 ;  Ps.  108 :  6-13,  as  60 :  5- 
12;  and  Ps.  108:  1-5,  is  the  same  as  57 :  7-11.  So 
that  the  whole  of  Ps.  108  is  obtained  from  two  pre- 
vious ones,  the  parts  differently  put  together. 

It  is,  however,  in  the  Pentateuch,  and  especially  in 
the  book  of  Genesis,  that  this  fragmentary  character 
becomes  the  greatest  source  of  perplexity.  It  has 
long  been  known  and  admitted  by  all  who  have  ex- 
amined the  subject,  since  De  Wette's  investigation,* 
that  at  least  iivo  documents  are  traceable  clearly  in 
the  early  j)arts  of  Genesis.  Many  have  thought  that 
they  could  prove  a  larger  number  of  distinct  writers, 
and  even  follow  them  through  most  of  the  Pentateuch. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  go  far  into  these  discussions 
here.  Dr.  Davidson  and  others,  suppose  from  authors 
whose  writings  appear  in  the  first  four  books  of  the 
Old  Testament,  —  the  Elohist  who,  he  thinks,  wrote 
about    the    time    of  Saul,  and    may,    therefore,    have 

*  See  Ante,  p.  &U. 


ELOHISTIG   DOCUMENT.  179 

been  Samuel ;  the  Jehovist  who  wrote  later,  about 
the  first  half  of  the  eight  century,  B.  C. ;  the  Junior 
Elohist  about  B.  C.  880,  the  time  of  Elisha ;  and  a 
final  Redactor  after  all  these,  but  before  the  book 
of  Deuteronomy.  But  the  traditions  in  regard  to  Ezra 
indicate  a  still  later  revision. 

If  any,  even  English  reader,  will  look  over  the  first 
chapter  of  Genesis  to  verse  third  of  the  second  chapter, 
he  will  find  the  Divine  name,  God, —  Elohim,  given 
about  thirty-six  times,  that  is  all  the  way  through. 
But  during  the  rest  of  the  second  chapter,  we  have 
the  words  Jehovah  Elohim,  (Lord,  God.)  This  dis- 
tinguishes the  Jehovistic  document  as  it  is  called,  and 
so  through  the  third  and  fourth  chapters,  we  have 
Jehovah  Elohim,  or  Jehovah,  except  that  in  cases  like 
chapter  3  :  1,3,  5,  and  chapter  4 :  25,  Elohim  is  care- 
fully inserted  into  the  speeches,  while  Jehovah  is  put 
in  all  the  narrative,  perhaps  to  be  consistent  with  what 
is  there  asserted,  that  the  name  Jehovah  was  not  in 
use  until  the  time  of  Enos,  chapter  4  :  26. 

But  from  chapter  2  :  4,  there  is  quite  a  distinct  doc- 
ument from  chapter  1,  where  we  have  already  had  an 
account  of  the  creation  of  mankind  in  general  "  male 
and  female,  created  he  them."  "(verse  27.)  Whether  there- 
fore the  more  minute  relation  in  chapter  second  of  the 
formation  of  Adanf  and  Eve,  is  to  be  regarded  as  a 
later  and  distinct  creation  of  the  first  progenitor  of  the 


180  AGASSIZ   ON   MAN 

Jewish  race,  as  Professor  Agassiz  suggested ;  or 
whether  this  is  to  be  regarded  as  returning  to  give  only 
a  more  specific  account  of  the  work  of  the  sixth  day, 
as  generally  supposed,  the  careful  reader  will  at  once 
see  (if  only  from  the  terms  used  to  designate  the 
Divine  Being)  that  it  is  quite  a  distinct  document. 
The  fifth  chapter,  (except  verse  28,)  is  Elohistic.  But 
the  first  eight  verses  of  chapter  sixth  are  Jehovistic. 
From  the  ninth  verse  to  the  twenty-second,  the  Elo- 
histic is  resumed.  And  here  it  will  be  observed,  that 
but  two  of  every  sort  of  living  things,  are  commanded 
to  be  brought  into  the  ark,  and  the  same  is  asserted  in 
chapter  7 :  8-9,  13-16,  which  are  also  taken  from  the 
Elohistic  document.  While  in  chapter  7  :  1-5,  which 
is  Jehovistic,  and  wi'itten  after  the  establishment  of 
the  priesthood  and  its  sacrifices,  the  command  is  given 
(verse  2)  "  every  clean  beast  thou  shalt  take  to  thee  by 
sevens,''^  although  according  to  verses  9  and  15,  which 
are  Elohistic,  but  two  would  seem  to  have  actually 
come.  In  chapter  8 :  20-22,  which  is  a  Jehovistic  in- 
sertion, the  offering  of  the  sacrifices  was  narrated,  Avith 
their  acceptance.  This  agrees  with  the  Chaldean  ac- 
count of  the  flood  by  Berosus. 

This  will  be  sufficient  for  our  present  purpose.  The 
reader  desirous  to  trace  this  matter  further,  will  find  a 
careful  digest  of  the  whole  matter  In  Davidson's  Intro- 
duction, Vol.  I,  pT58-61,  as  in  the  writings  of  many  other 


AND   THE  DELUGE.  181 

modern  critics.  The  above  is,  however,  almost  en- 
tirely from  private  notes  of  my  own,  made  directly 
from  the  study  of  Genesis  many  years  ago,  before  I 
had  ever  seen  the  results  of  any  investigation  of  this 
book.  AU  I  have  here  pointed  out,  will,  therefore, 
easily  become  an  assured  matter  to  any  one  who  will 
take  the  trouble  to  turn  to  the  references  given.  When 
I  found  them  so  fully  confirmed  by  Dr.  Davidson's 
more  careful,  learned  and  elaborate  researches,  and 
those  of  many  others,  I  felt  sure  they  must  be  cer- 
tainly and  clearly  correct. 

There  are  then  at  least  two  accounts  of  the  creation 
and  deluge,  with  different  names  for  the  Divine  Being, 
clearly  interw^oven  to  form  our  book  of  Genesis,  yet 
not  so  interwoven  but  that  the  seams  are  easily  trace- 
able, and  the  two  are  not  capable,  I  think,  of  being 
fairly  and  entirely  reconciled  with  each  other. 

In  addition  to  this,  we  have  in  the  writings  of 
Berosus  another  accoupt,  showing  such  verbal  coinci- 
dence with  Genesis,  that  there  can  be  no  escaping  the 
conclusion,  either  that  one  was  copied  from  the  other, 
or  all  from  some  more  general  and  common  source. 

And  yet,  who  that  has  read  the  fragments  of  Bero- 
sus or  Sanconiath,  or  looked  into  the  Vedas  or 
Avestas,  but  can  see  a  beauty,  an  elevation,  and  a 
truthfulness  about  this  book  of  Genesis,  far  above  and 
quite    distinct   from   the  spirit  of  all  these   other   ac- 


182  DEGREES   OP 

counts.  It  has  been  written  or  edited  by  some  pious 
redactor,  taking  the  outline  of  the  general  history  as  it 
stood  recorded  in  more  ancient,  universally  believed 
accounts,  with  a  desire  to  infuse  into  them  the  thought 
of  One  true  and  living  God,  with  which  his  own  soul 
was  filled.  When  all  this  was  completed,  we  may  not 
be  able  exactly  to  say.  Parts  of  the  law  were  no 
doubt  begun  by  Moses.  The  Elohistic  document  was 
probably  written  about  the  time  of  Samuel,  but  the 
completion  of  the  whole  Pentateuch  must  have  been 
after  the  use  of  the  terms  Elohim  and  Jehovah  had 
both  become  so  familiar  that  the  most  extrefne  venera- 
tors of  the  latter  term  to  designate  the  Divine  name, 
had  ceased  to  notice  or  object  to  the  older  Elohim 
being  used  in  Jewish  history  ;  seven  hundred  years  after 
the  time  of  David  at  earliest. 

IV.  The  formation  and  different  degrees'  of  sacred- 
ness  attributed  by  the  Jews  to  the  Old  Testament 
Canon,  occasion  many  difficulties  in  the  way  of  the 
common  views  of  the  Plenary  and  verbal  inspiration  of 
the  Old  Testament. 

There  are  in  our  Englisli  Bibles,  thirty-nine  books 
of  the  Old  Testament  mostly  anonymous ;  but  we 
cannot  tell  by  what  authority  any  of  these  books  were 
admitted  or  others  excluded.  The  accounts  we  have 
are  all  traditional  and  more  or  less  contradictory  or 
erroneous.     All   agree  that  Ezra  had  much  to  do  with 


SACREDNESS.  183 

the  formation  of  the  Canon,  but  ivhat  who  shall  tell  ? 
Basil  supposed  that  the  whole  of  the  Old  Testament 
had  been  burned  up,  and  miraculously  restored  bij 
Ezra,  Chrysostom  thought  that  "  out  of  the  remains 
of  the  Scripture,  Ezra  re-composed  it."  Hilary  says 
that  "  Ezra  had  collected  the  Psalms  into  one  volume," 
and  Thedoret,  that  "the  Scripture  having  been  de- 
praved in  the  time  of  the  Exile,  was  restored  by 
Ezra." 

Most  of  the  Talmudical  writers  must  be  placed  at  a 
later  date  than  the  above.  Their  story  is  that  there  was  a 
synod  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  men,  presided  over 
by  Ezra,  who  restored  and  reformed  the  Temple  wor- 
ship after  the  return.  The  Jerusalem  Talmud,  which 
may  have  been  written  any  time  between  A.  D.  200 
and  650,  says  that  when  the  men  of  the  Great  Syna- 
gogue arose,  they  restored  magnificence  (i.  e.  the  crown 
of  the  law)  to  its  primitive  state.  In  Pkke  Aboth,  chap. 
1,  (one  of  the  most  respectable  of  all  the  treatises  of  the 
Talmud,)  it  is  said  that  "  Moses  received  the  law  from 
Mount  Sinai,  gave  it  to  Joshua,  Joshua  to  the  Elders, 
the  Elders  to  the  prophets,  and  these  to  the  men  of 
the  Great  Synagogue."  In  the  same  treatise  it  is 
added  that  Simeon  the  just  was  the  last  survivor  of 
the  men  of  the  Great  Synagogue,  and  is  said  to  have 
completed  the  canon  by  adding  the  books  of  Ezra  and 
Nehemiah.     In  the    Babylonian    Talmud,  it  is    said 


184  DEGREES   OF 

that  the  men  of  the  Great  Synagogue  wrote  Ezekiel, 
the  twelve  minor  prophets,  Daniel  and  Esther,  which  a 
Jewish  commentator  considers  to  mean  that  "  they 
collected  the  books  into  one  volume,  and  made  new 
copies  of  them,  knowing  that  the  prophetic  spirit  was 
about  to  depart."  Le  Clerc,  therefore,  declares  the 
whole  history  of  the  Great  Synagogue,  and  the  Re- 
cension by  Ezra,  a  Jewish  fable.* 

That  Ezra  commenced  collecting  the  Temple  Li- 
brary and  deciding  on  the  Holy  Books  to  be  kept  in- 
the  ark,  and  read  in  the  Synagogues,  need  not  be 
questioned;  that  he  completed  it,  is  hardly  possible, 
and  not  even  asserted,  as  Malachi  clearly  lived  after 
the  building  of  the  second  Temple,  —  probably  fully 
fifty  years  after  Ezra  had  been  sent  with  the  second 
colony  of  the  Hebrews.  The  Jews,  therefore,  say  that 
Simeon  the  just,  closed  the  canon,  and  lived  to  the 
days  of  Alexander  the  Great.  But  this  is  all  the 
wildest  fancy,  conjecture  and  confusion.  There  seem 
clearly  to  have  been  three  collections  made  at  different 
times.  The  Pentateuch,  the  Prophets,  and  the  Hagio- 
grapha.  "  The  reception  of  historical  and  of  some 
prophetical  writings  into  the  Hagiographa  can  only  be 
explained,"  says  De  Wette,  "  on  the  hypothesis  that  both 

*  See  Dc  Wettc,  Introduction,  Sec.  11,  and  Kitto,  —  Articles, — 
Scriptures  Great  Synagogue  and  Canon. 


INSPIRATION.  185 

the   former   collections   were    closed   when   this    was 
begun."  * 

We  certainly  have  no  authority  in  regard  to  this 
matter  out  of  the  New  Testament  that  pretends  to  be 
inspired,  or  that  is  at  all  probably  true.  Internal 
evidence  must  be  our  chief  resort  beyond  the  traditions 
of  the  early  Jews  and  Christians.  There  is,  therefore, 
nothing  that  can  be  considered  reasonably  to  imply 
infallibility  in  the  Inspiration  of  the  Old  Testament  of 
which  we  have  any  evidence,  beyond  what  is  to  be 
gathered  from  the  allusions  to  it  by  Jesus  Christ,  or  the 
writings  of  the  New  Testament.  In  fact,  the  Jews 
themselves  appear  to  have  had  no  uniform  or  agreed 
standard  of  Inspiration,  applicable  to  all  their  books 
alike.  Coleridge  has  suggested,  and  De  Wette  asserts 
that  "  the  Jewish  teachers  assign  to  Moses  the  highest 
degree  of  inspiration,  fbr  God  spoke  face  to  face  with 
him,  that  is  without  the  intervention  of  visions  and 
dreams.  They  ascribe  the  next  degree  to  the  prophets 
who,  either  sleeping  or  waking,  without  the  aid  of  the 
senses,  heard  a  voice  speaking  to  them,  and  in  their 
ecstacy  saw  prophetic  visions.  The  lowest  degree  of 
divine  influence  which  they  call  the  Holy  Spirit,  they 
concede  to  those  inspired  men  who,  with  their  senses 
remaining  in  perfect  action,  spoke  like  other  men. 
Though  they  did   not  rejoice  in  dreams,  or  prophetic 

♦  Sec.  13. 


186  DE   WETTE. 

visions,  they  nevertheless  felt  the  Divine  Spirit  resting 
upon  them,  exciting  and  suggesting  words  of  praise 
and  penitence  or  thoughts  relating  to  divine  or  civil 
affairs,  and  they  spoke  or  wrote  them.  All  the  proph- 
ets but  Moses,  prophesied  through  an  opaque,  but  he 
through  a  transparent  glass."  Abarbanel,  he  says, 
"  dwells  long  in  explaining  the  foundation  and  reason 
of  the  distinction  between  the  writings  of  the  Hagio- 
grapha  and  the  other  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  as 
arising  from  the  different  mode  and  measure  of  divine 
influence  by  which  they  were  composed."  *  Philo 
speaks  in  much  the  same  manner,  and  considers  him- 
self in  measm-e  as  guided  by  the  Spirit. 

The  whole  of  this  is  a  subject  of  great  difficulty 
and  delicacy,  requiring  a  degree  of  original  research 
with  an  enlightened  mind,  such  as  few  are  able  to  give 
to  it,  and  which  might  well  occupy  a  volume  of  itself. 
But  the  fact  that  all  is  left  with  so  little  of  true  in- 
formation and  certainty,  and  is  obscured  by  Jewish 
superstitions  and  falsehoods,  proves  that  Divine  wis- 
dom has  not  tliought  it  necessary  for  us  to  be  so  sure 
as  many  profess  to  be,  or  to  draw  lines  of  infallibility 
around  certain  books,  because  included  in  the  Jewish 
canon,  throwing  them  out  of  the  range  of  analogy  with 
all  other  pious  writings,  or  even  the  verbal  teachings  and 
daily  conduct  of  the  holy   men  who   prepared  them,  or 

*  De  Wettc,  Sec.  10. 


PSALMS   AND    VEDAS.  187 

of  the  Church  that  has  selected  and  handed  them 
down  to  us. 

Thus  looking  at  the  Old  Testament  as  a  whole, 
though  it  would  seem  vain  to  attempt  to  prove  for  it, 
verbal  infallibility,  yet  far  more  must  we  beware  of 
failing  to  perceive  in  this  very  ancient  and  wonderful 
collection,  transmitted  to  us  through  the  Jewish 
Church,  the  work  of  holy  and  inspired  men  of  the 
olden  time  who  "  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost."  They  were  still  men,  —  fallible  men  who 
collected  these  books,  but  compared  with  the  writings 
of  Greece  and  Persia  at  the  same  date,  their  religious 
value  is  truly  wonderful.  Take  the  book  of  Psalms 
as  a  whole,  and  then  read  the  Vedas  with  prayers 
for  thieves  that  the  dogs  and  men  may  sleep  while 
they  steal!  or  read  Homer.  Take  the  moral  laws  of 
the  Jews,  and  then  read  Grote's  History  of  Grecian 
laws  in  similar  periods;  compare  the  theism  of  Isaiah 
with  that  even  of  the  noblest  and  best  of  all  the 
Greeks.  How  immeasurably  superior  in  moral  tone, 
sublimity  of  worship,  and  the  holiness  inspired  by  the 
conscious  presence  of  God,  are  the  best  passages  of 
the  Jewish  writers  to  those  of  any  others  of  their 
age. 

Let  any  one  read  together  the  remains  which  have 
come  down  to  us  of  the  Greek  philosophers,  and  the 
Hebrew  Prophets,  and  how  much  more  of  earnestness 


188  grote's  history 

and  disinterestedness  do  we  find  in  the  latter,  how 
much  more  truth  and  courage  in'standing  up  for  God 
and  the  eternal  right.  In  all  this,  can  we  not  see 
true  inspiration  giving  them,  if  not  all  the  verbal  ac- 
curacy, nor  perfect  scientific  knowledge,  nor  even  the 
subtile  reasoning  powers  of  a  Socrates,  —  a  piety;, 
loftiness  and  elevation  of  soul  that  even  Socrates 
never  attained.  The  wisdom  of  the  Greeks  is  soiled 
and  worn  "as  if  from  earth  it  labored  up."  But  the 
Hebrew  books  record  thoughts  that  "  down  frorh 
higher  regions  came." 

Even  the  books  of  Joshua  and  Judges,  Samuel, 
Kings  and  Chronicles,  though  not  free  from  inaccu- 
racies, are,  after  all,  better  and  truer  models  both  for 
the  whole  history  of  the  world  than  any  histories 
written  since  in  this  most  vital  particular,  that  each 
great  prosperity  or  defeat  is  traced  home  to  its  moral 
cause.  Whatever  other  lessons  may  be  omitted  or 
confused,  the  connection  between  the  fear  of  the  one 
true,  living  and  holy  God,  and  national  prosperity  is 
traced  in  broad  outline  with  a  clear,  bold  hand ; 
while  the  neglect  of  this  principle  accompanied  with 
all  error,  discord  and  misfortune  is  equally  traced. 
I'his  after  all  is  the  grand  clue  to  history.  The  re- 
ligious faith  of  every  nation  is,  as  Grote  has  shown  in 
his  history  of  Greece,  the  trnest  key  to  the  causes  of 
their  conduct.     So  long  as  a  Jewish  king  remains  true 


OP  GREECE  189 

to  the  national  faith  of  Jehovah,  which  inspired  all 
their  prophets  and  the  people,  so  long  he  prospers. 
Second  causes  are  often  omitted  or  mistaken,  but  the 
primary  cause  is  never  lost  sight  of,  and  so  far  there  is 
Inspiration,  a  Divinely  given  and  holy  feeling,  produc-* 
ing  an  insight  into  causes  which  gives  the  true 
prophetic  foresight  of  events ;  an  elevation  of  soul 
above  the  mists  of  the  momentary  circumstances, 
giving  to  one  writer  a  clearness  in  reasoning ;  to  another 
courage  to  resist  evil,  to  another  wisdom  to  select  and 
arrange;  to  another  a  holy  love  to  write  out  those 
hidden  mysteries  'and  treasures  known  only  to  the 
pious  heart,  but  eternally  true.  The  holiest  and  best 
men  of  all  ages  have  ever  most  loved  to  read  these 
writings,  and  so  far  it  is  that  the  Old  Testament  like 
the  New,  is  a  revelation  of  truths,  growing  out  of  the 
faith  of  former  generations  of  holy  men,  and  infusing 
the  same  living  warmth  into  those  who  have  already  the 
germs  of  similar  faith  within  themselves.  The  Bible 
is  not  given  either  in  the  Old  Testament  or  the  New, 
so  much  to  create  faith  as  to  feed  and  refresh  it.  It  is 
the  Spirit  quickeneth. 

As  through  all  the  ages  of  the  world,  before  man 
was  formed,  God  seems  to  have  been  fitting  it  up  by 
an  increasing  richness  of  soil,  and  by  higher  types  of 
living  animals  for  the  support  of  him  physically, 
so  in  all  the  ages  and  dispensations  since  man  entered, 


190  Gladstone's  view  of 

but  prior  to  Christianity,  God  seems  to  have  been 
preparing  and  educating  him  to  be  increasingly  gov- 
erned by  the  lofty  system  of  faiths  which  Christianity 
exhibits  to  the  heart  and  mind  of  man.  In  the  Old 
Testament,  we  may  see  a  work  of  preparatory  in- 
spiration without  which  the  purer,  higher  inspirations 
of  the  New  Testament  saints  and  Apostles  could 
never  have  grown  to  the  wonderful  degree  they  sud- 
denly developed.  The  law  was  our  schoolmaster, 
says  St.  Paul,  to  bring  us  unto  Christ.  It  was  a 
great  general  preparation  to  the  Hebrews  and  Alex- 
andrians, who  first  united  Hebrew  and  Grecian  re- 
ligious thought. 

But  the  same  Lord  over  all,  is  rich  unto  all  who 
call  upon  him,  and  he  had  his  great  work  of  pre- 
paration for  the  Gentiles  going  on  too,  among  Greek 
philosophers  like  Anaxagoras,  Socrates  and  Plato, 
and  Roman  sages  and  statesmen  like  Cicero,  Plu- 
tarch and  Seneca.  When,  therefore,  St.  Paul  was 
preaching  before  a  Greek  audience,  he  caught  up  a 
Divinely  inspired  thought  even  from  a  heathen  poet 
who  had  sung  "  we  are  also  his  offspring,"  and  taught 
the  Universal  Fatherhood  of  God  to  idolators.  When 
before  the  last  of  the  Jewish  race  of  Kings,  Herod 
Agrippa,  he  appealed  to  him  as  a  believer  in  tiie  Old 
Testament  Scriptures ;  but  in  presence  of  the  Roman 
Felix,  he  reasoned  of  righteousness,  temperance  and  a 


GRECIAN   CULTURE.  191 

judgment  to  come ;  while  on  Mars  Hill,  he  honored  the 
latent  piety  amid  confessed  ignorance  in  that  in- 
scription "  to  the  unknown  God." 

It  belongs  not  to  the  present  chapter  to  carry  this 
subject  further.  And  yet  I  may  remark  in  passing, 
that  the  recent  address  of  Mr.  Gladstone,  on  retiring 
from  the  Chancellorship  of  the  University  at  Edinburg, 
suggests  with  a  breadth  of  reasoning,  and  a  warm  love 
and  reverence  for  the  loftiest  truths  of  Christianity, 
some  thoughts  worthy  of  all  honor  on  the  degree  to 
which  the  highest  inspirations  of  Grecian  speculation 
and  Hebrew  holy  intuition,  were  both  by  a  Divine  pur- 
pose fused  and  blended  in  the  Christian  life  developed 
through  the  Church  of  the  living  God. 


192  NEW   TESTAMENT   TEACHINGS. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE     NEW    TESTAMENT     TEACHINGS    AS    THEY    BEAR    UPON 
THE    INSPIRATION    OF    THE    OLD. 

IT  has  been  the  common  custom  to  settle  all  doubts 
and  difRculties  as  to  the  plenary  nature  of  the 
Inspiration  of  the  Old  Testament,  by  asserting  that 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  Apostles  appeal  to  them  as 
Divinely  inspired,  without  making  any  exceptions  or 
implying  any  doubt  as  to  their  perfection,  and  that  this 
must  settle  the  whole  question  for  every  Christian  at 
least.  Such  a  mode  of  closing  the  argument  is  more 
sweeping  than  satisfactory.  For  it  begins  by  taking 
for  granted  that  Jesus  in  endorsing  the  general  author- 
ity of  the  Jewish  Church,  and  inspiration  of  the  Old 
Testament  Scriptures,  thereby  asserted  the  verbal 
infallibility  of  every  book,  chapter  and  verse  contained 
in  them.  In  applying  the  argumentiim  ad  hominem 
to    one    sect   of  the   Jews,  i.    c.    the  Pharisees   whose 


NEW    TESTAMENT   TEACHINGS.  193 

superstitions  he  particularly  reproves,  he  does  not 
thereby  assert  to  be  infallibly  true,  all  that  they  may 
have  believed. 

But  further,  this  argument  as  it  is  commonly  put, 
takes  for  granted  that  the  Inspiration  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament at  least,  is  beyond  all  dispute  in  the  mind  of  a 
Christian,  exempt  from  that  law  of  fallibility,  which 
we  have  seen  so  much  reason  to  suppose  clear  in 
regard  to  the  Old.  We  believe  most  firmly  that  the 
New  Testament  stands  in  a  very  much  more  imme- 
diate relation  to  the  absolute  and  eternal  communica- 
tions of  Divine  truth  than  the  Old.  But  though 
Christianity  is  given  from  God  as  an  exhibition  of  the 
principles  of  Universal  religion,  and  is  communicated 
most  immediately  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  it  was  yet  given 
through  fallible  men  and  in  a  certain  fragmentary 
form.  Nor  was  it  intended  to  make  other  ages  in- 
dependent of  that  same  spirit  which  animated  the 
Church  in  its  infancy,  but  more  consciously  and 
immediately  reliant  upon  its  ever  living  presence,  as 
abiding  in  it  for  ever.  But  the  discussion  on  this  point 
belongs  properly  to  another  chapter. 

Socrates  left  behind  him  no  writings,  and  from  the 
fragments  and  recollections  of  his  disciples,  Xenophon 
and  Plato,  we  have  to  acquaint  ourselves  with  his 
ideas  and  teachings.  In  like  manner,  our  Saviour  has 
not  left  us  a  line  of  his  own  writing.     The  records  of 


194  AUTHORITY    OF   THOSE 

the  Evangelists  are  all  we  have.  In  some  cases,  the 
same  teachings  of  Jesus  which  appear  rfiost  clcEir  and 
plain,  when  we  reacT  them  recorded  by  Matthew  are  so 
far  differently  recorded  by  Luke,  that  we  are  thrown 
into  doubt,  whether  we  have  rightly  understood  their 
nature  and  meaning.  Compare  the  Beatitudes  Matt. 
5 :  1-12,  and  Luke  6  :  20-26.  In  John  21 :  25  we  are 
assured  that  we  have  only  fragments  of  the  personal 
life  and  teachings  of  the  Saviour. 

Still  it  will  be  urged  that  these  fragments  are  clear 
and  decisive.  And  as  to  the  Divine  authority  which 
he  concedes  to  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures  for  the 
practical  religious  instruction  and  guidance  of  his  Jew- 
ish followers,  there  is  no  question.  The  Pharisees,  he 
says,  "  sit  in  Moses'  seat ;  whatsoever  they  say,  therefore, 
observe  and  do.  But  do  as  they  say,  not  as  they  do, 
for  they  say  and  do  not."  That  is,  rigidly  reverence 
and  obey  the  law  as  expounded  by  the  Jewish  Church 
authorities,  and  even  where  you  see  inconsistencies 
and  flaws,  adhere  practically  and  most  scrupulously 
in  obedience  to  all  that  has  prima  facie  claims  to  be 
obeyed.  Except  your  righteousness  shall  exceed  that 
not  ©nly  of  the  law,  but  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye 
shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  They  were 
not  to  let  one  jot  or  one  tittle  pass  from  the  law,  even 
as  expounded  by  those  ivho  sat  in  Moses''  seat,  binding 
men  with  heavy  burdens  but   not  lifting   them  with 


IN   MOSES'    SEAT.  195 

their  own  fingers.  But  did  our  Saviour  mean  thus  to 
say  that  these  traditional  teachings  of  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  were  infallible,  and  to  be  of  eternal  obliga- 
tion? Certainly  not.  What  Jesus  meant,  appears  to 
be  this:  There  is  an  eternal  law  of  God  underlying' 
the  whole.  You  cannot  safely  and  suddenly  separate 
the  true  from  the  false ;  obey  the  whole  as  the  Prov- 
identially appointed  guide  for  your  lives,  until  each 
deviation  from  the  customs  in  -which  you  have  been 
brought  up,,  shall  be  clearly  manifested  to  be  the 
Divine  will.  This  view  becomes  quite  consistent  with 
St.  Paul's  doctrine  for  the  Hellenistic  Christians  of 
there  being  nothing  unclean  in  itself,  yet  many  things 
unclean  to  those  who  so  esteemed  them.  Real  con- 
servatism walks  in  freedom  and  liberty  of  thought  in 
proportion  as  it  conforms  to  every  precept  and  custom, 
fulfils  all  righteousness,  and  ratifies  every  institution. 

The  Saviour  urges  upon  his  followers,  and  practices 
himself  an  observance  of  the  laws  of  God,  more  severe 
than  that  of  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  as  a  meet  prepara- 
tion for  entering  into  the  new  kingdom  of  heaven.  It 
was  not  merely  to  the  eternal  moralities  embraced  in 
the  Mosaic  law,  but  to  its  ceremonial  observances,*and 
the  still  further  comments  of  those  who  sat  in  Moses' 
seat  for  the  sake  of  respect  to  constituted  religious 
government  and  holy  charity  and  Church  authority 
that  Jesus  urged  the  t'onformity  of  others  to  all  the 


196  THE   INFALLIBILITY    OF   MOSES 

social  worship  of  the  synagogue,  and  exhibited  it 
himself.  While  Christianity  was  never  intended  to 
bind  the  Gentile  converts,  "  those  other  sheep  not  of 
this  fold,"  with  the  heavy  burdens  of  Judaism,  there 
was  ever  that  strict  conservatism  in  the  teachinsrs  of 
Jesus,  that  made  Christianity  adapt  itself  as  much  as 
possible  to  Judaism'  among  the  Jews,  on  the  principle 
that  men  always  most  easily  conform  themselves  to 
those  institutions  to  which  they  have  been  accustomed. 
Christianity,  as  a  social  religion  required  conciliation 
and  charity  and  conformity  to  established  institutions 
from  all  its  followers. 

But  it  must  be.  a  strained  interpretation  of  Matt. 
5  :  17-48,  that  can  reconcile  it  with  the  absolute  in- 
fallibility of  Moses  and  his  law.  Let  any  one  study 
those  verses,  and  he  will  see  how  Jesus  distinctly 
teaches  that  there  were  many  things  in  broad  contrast 
between  the  allowances  of  Moses  and  those  of  the 
new  dispensation.  The  Saviour,  therefore,  if  on  the 
one  hand,  he  honored  the  Pentateuchal  Scriptures  as 
inspired,  regarded  them  not,  therefore,  as  infallible 
declarations  of  eternal  truth,  but  as  he  said,  permitting 
many^  things  for  a  time  which  were,  nevertheless,  at 
variance  from  the  dictates  of  final,  perfect  and  eternal 
morality  by  defect,  and  contrary  to  many  laws  which 
he  established  as  henceforth  necessary  in  the  new  dis- 
pensatiojir     Religion    among    mankind,    (as  if  he   iiad 


DENIED   BY    CHRIST.  197 

said,)  is  progressive.  It  is  a  holy  growth  of  conscious 
conformity  to  that  law  of  God  which,  as  Cicero  had 
declared,  is  eternal  and  universal.  Moses  had  bfeen  a 
burning  and  a  shining  light  for  his  day,  but  not, 
therefore,  a  finality. 

Something  like  that  was  the  general  aspect  in  which 
Jesus  taught  his  disciples  to  view  the  Jewish  Scrip- 
tures and  the  Jewish  Church;  —  both  as  inspired 
teachers  and  conservators  of  many  divine  truths  ;  —  nei- 
ther of  them  to  be  hastily  abandoned  by  those  who 
were  providentially  placed  under  their  guidance ;  and 
no  further  abandoned  than  absolutely  necessary,  as  the 
new  wine  might  require  new  bottles.  All  the  rending 
away  from  the  old  was  to  come  from  the  action  of 
others,  not  from  them.  Hence,  Jesus  forsook  not  the 
temple,  and  was  never  even  formally  excluded  from 
the  Synagogue,  but  remained  a  Rabbi  to  the  end. 
The  new  Church  was  gathered  under  the  wings  of  the 
old.  Christianity  at  first  regarded  itself  especially  in 
Judea  as  a  branch  of  Judaism.  Nor  was  it  through 
any  repudiation  by  the  Christians,  but  by  the  Jews 
that  the  two  ever  separated. '  The  Apostolic  Church 
met  in  a  porch  of  the  temple,  till  expelled  by  persecu- 
tion. Circumcision  was  never  forbidden  to  Jewish 
Christians  for  a  hundred  years.  Jews  were  indulged  in 
all    their   prejudices    in    the    Christian  Church,  while 


198  "search 

much  that  is  Jewish,  but  not  of  perpetual  obligation, 
has  been  retained  to  this  day. 

The  language  of  him  who  was  introducing  a  new 
dispensation  of  religion  in  so  wise,  careful  and  con- 
servative a  manner  to  Scribes  and  Pharisees  jealous 
of  their  law,  must,  therefore,  be  construed  in  accord- 
ance with  these  principles.  Jesus,  though  ever  acting 
with  truth  and  candor,  was  desirous  not  to  disturb  or 
destroy  any  prejudices  or  opinions  not  necessarily 
injurious,  and  he  argues  with  them  in  favor  of  the 
truths  he  wishes  to  establish  from  their  own  con- 
cessions and  stand  point,  without  therefore  necessarily 
endorsing  all  the  views  they  entertained. 

But  he  also  uses  a  freedom  at  times  in  regard  to 
the  Old  Testament  which  they  accounted  blasphe- 
mous, and  which  must  be  regarded  as  appealing  back 
of  the  law  of  Moses  to  a  higher  law,  and  one  both 
universal  and  eternal.  He  quotes  passage  after 
passage  from  the  most  sacred  books  of  the  Jew- 
ish Canon,  and  says,  "  It  was  said  by  them  of 
old  time,"  thus  and  so,  and  then  he  adds,  "  But  I  say 
unto  you,"  and  on  the  same  subject  utters  some  truths 
not  only  far  stronger,  or  very  different,  but  even  quite 
annulling.  When  calling  their  attention  to  the  Scrip- 
tures, as  predicting  a  Messiah  such  as  he  was,  he 
appeals  to  the  prophets  in  words  like,  these :  "  Search' 
the  Scriptures,  for  in  them    ye  think  ye  have  eternal 


THE   SCRIPTURES."  199 

life,  and  they  are  they  that  testify  of  me."  This  is 
one  of  the  passages  most  frequently  appealed  to,  as 
endorsing  the  plenary,  verbal  inspiration  of  the  whole 
of  the  Old  Testament.  It  cannot,  however,  be  fairly 
construed  as  doing  any  such  thing.  It  is  avowedly  an 
arg-umentum  ad  hominem.  The  Jews  were  not  by  any 
means  all  agreed  as  to  their  views  of  the  Inspiration  of 
the  Old  Testament.  The  Pharisees,  Sadduces,  and 
Essenes  all  differed,  and  why  we  should  suppose  that 
he  held  the  Pharisaic  view,  it  is  hard  to  conjecture, 
except  that  it  corresponds  with  some  of  the  Pharisa- 
ism into  which  we  have  also  fallen.  That  he  did  feel 
and  uphold  the  divine  authority  of  the  Old  Testament, 
on  specific  subjects,  and  so  far  as  he  quoted  it,  and  in 
the  general  sense,  though  with  exceptions  as  we  have 
seen,  there  is  no  doubt.  But  his  language  here  only 
proves  that  according  to  what  they  believed^  he  was 
entitled  to  their  credence.  The  different  sects  of  the 
Jews  held  views  as  widely  diverse  as  to  Inspkation, 
as  the  Roman  Catholics,  Calvinists,  and  Unitarians 
of  our  day,  and  who  shall  say  from  such  a  passage 
as  this,  that  he  himself  held  the  one  view  more  than 
the  other.  He  argued  with  them  from  their  views,  not 
always  fully  and  minutely  exhibiting  his  own. 

The  same  thing  might  be  urged  in  relation  to 
John  10 :  35,  which  has  sometimes  been  quoted  as  a 
final  proof  of  the  absolute  infallibility  of  Old  Testa- 


200  JOHN  10:  25. 

ment  Scripture;  "the  Scripture  cannot  be  broken." 
But  the  whole  passage  is  hypothetical.  Charged  with 
blasphemy,  and  making  himself  the  Son  of  God,  he 
replies,  "  Is  it  not  written  in  your  law,  '  I  said  ye  are 
godg,'  If  he  called  them  gods  unto  whom  the  word  of 
God  came,  and  the  Scripture  cannot  be  broken." 
This  clause  is  to  be  taken  in  a  restricted  sense,  says 
Bloomfield,  — "  the  Scriptures  cannot  be  taken  ex- 
ception against."  The  whole  passage  is  an  argument 
from  their  avowed  belief,  and  not  any  positive  asser- 
tion of  his  own.  He  thus  calls  the  law  '•'■your  law," 
and  seems  to  say,  "  If  he  called  them  gods,  &c.,  and  if 
the  Old  Testament  writings  ought  not  to  be  loosened, 
(in  their  moral  authority,)  how  say  ye,"  &c.  —  Camp- 
bell translates  it,  "  and  if  the  language  of  Scripture  is 
unexceptionable." 

In  addition  to  this,  we  have  recorded  a  case  in 
which  Jesus  quotes  a  particular  passage  as  ^'•spoken 
unto  you  hy  God^^  (Matt.  22:  31.)  but  this  is  in  allu- 
sion not  to  Old  Testament  inspiration  in  general, 
but  to  the  words  uttered  from  the  fiery  bush.  No 
doubt  the  Saviour  frequently  alludes  to  the  Old 
Testament  in  the  general  sense  in  which  I  have  spo- 
ken, as  of  Divine  authority,  and  also  as  inspired, 
but  not,  therefore,  of  that  sort  of  verbal  infallibility 
which  seems  to  be  taken  for  granted  rather  than 
proved.     There  is  nothing  in  the  words  of  Jesus  even  as 


MATT.   22:   31.  201 

reported  by  his  disciples,  in  the  least  staking  the  truth 
of  Christianity  upon  the  absolute  verbal  accuracy  of  the 
Old  Testament. 

If,  however,  it  could  be  asserted  and  shown  that  the 
New  Testament  writers  make  this  claim  for  the  Old 
Testament,  its  weight  would  in  some  measure  still  de- 
pend upon  whether  we  supposed  them  to  be  absolutely 
infallible  because  inspired.  In  fact,  it  would  depend 
on  whether  we  take  for  granted  in  the  New  Testament, 
what  we  have  pretty  well  disproved  as  to  the  Old. 

But  without  going  into  that  matter  very  thoroughly 
just  now,  we  have  to  weigh  with  care  the  language 
which  the  New  Testament  writers  do  use  in  regard  to 
the  Inspiration  of  the  Old.  Such  words  as  these  are 
used  by  the  Apostles  :  "  Lord,  thou  art  God  *  * 
*  *  who  by  the  mouth  of  thy  servant  David  hast 
said,  Wliy  do  the  heathen  rage,"  &c.  —  (Acts  4:  24, 
and  in  Acts  1 :  16,)  "  this  Scripture  must  needs  have 
been  fulfilled,  which  the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  mouth  of 
David  spake  before  concerning  Judas."  In  these  and 
similar  expressions,  it  will  be  claimed  that  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Divine  Spirit  is  directly  taught  to  have 
guided  quite  supernaturally  the  minds  of  the  Old 
Testament  writers.  St.  Paul  also  quotes  from  Deu- 
teronomy, thus :  "  The  Scripture  saith  thou  shalt  not 
muzzle  the  ox  that  treadeth  out  the  corn,"  and  asks, 
"doth   God   take   care   of    oxen,   or   saith   he   it  not 


202  I  COR.  3: 

altogether  for  your  sakes,"  and  this  will  be  brought 
forward  as  a  proof  that  Paul  viewed  the  Old  Tes- 
tament as  infallibly  inspired  in  all  its  parts. 

But  then  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  similar 
language  is  made  use  of  in  regard  not  only  to  the 
writings,  but  the  personal  teachings  of  the  Apostles 
of  the  New  Dispensation,  without  any  exceptions  and 
qualifications.  The  Apostle  Paul  himself  makes  use 
of  equally  strong  language  to  prove  that  all  Chris- 
tians, and  especially  teachers  are  also  an  inspired 
body.  The  latter  (I  Cor.  3,)  are  declared  "laborers 
together  with  (or  appointed  by)  God,"  to  speak  hid- 
den wisdom  and  mysteries  such  as  eye  hath  not  seen, 
nor  ear  heard,  &c.,  but  which  God  hath  revealed  unto 
us  by  His  Spirit."  "  Which  things  also  we  speak, 
not  in  the  words  ivhich  mail's  ivisdom  teacheth, 
but  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth.  Who  hath 
known  the  mind  of  the  Lord,  that  he  may  instruct 
Him?  But  tue  have  the  mind  of  Christ.^'  Yet  this 
strong  language  is  used,  not  of  Apostles  only,  but  of 
Christian  men,  and  especially  teachers  as  a  class,  all 
of  whom  were  in  his  view,  not  excepting  himself, 
exceedingly  imperfect  in  their  utterances,  —  some  of 
them  "  carnal,"  "  envying,"  "  full  of  strife  and  divi- 
sions." Indeed,  the  whole  company  of  Christians  is 
looked  upon  and  spoken  of  by  him  as  an  inspired 
body,  while  yet  at  the  same  time,  he  even  withstands 


2  PET.  1:  20-21.  203 

the  Apostle  Peter  to  the  face,  because  he  "  was  to  be 
blamed,"  and  "walked  not  upright,"  so  that  "even 
Barnabas  was  carried  way  with  their  dissimulation." 

In  regard  to  the  Old  Testament,  however,  we  shall 
be  reminded  of  II  Tim.  3 :  16.  "  All  Scripture  is 
given  by  inspirafion  of  God,  and  is  profitable,"  &c. 
But  that  passage  can  be  adduced  to  prove  as  we  have 
seen  no  more  than  that  "  all  divinely  inspired  Scrip- 
ture is  also  profitable,"  &c.,  making  the  profitableness 
the  test  of  the  inspiration.* 

If  the  genuineness  of  the  second  epistle  of  Peter 
be  considered  sufficiently  established  to  render  it 
canonical  (and  not  a  subsequent  repetition  of  parts 
of  Judc,  as  the  language  might  seem  to  indicate, 
and  as  Eusebius  and  the  Paulicians  thought)  there  is 
in  it  a  passage,  often  appealed  to  in  regard  to  one 
class  of  writings  in  the  Old  Testament,  i.  e.  the  pro- 
phetic, which  would  challenge  for  them  (according  to 
St  Peter's  view,)  a  more  immediate  divine  supervi- 
sion and  approach  to  infallibility  than  other  portions 
of  the  Old,  if  not  of  the  New  Testament,  i.  c.  II  Peter 
1 :  20-21.  But  for  the  reasons  above  alluded  to,  it  can- 
not fairly  be  brought  forward  as  a  proof  text.  Euse- 
bius says,  "  As  to  the  writings  of  Peter,  one  of  his 
Epistles  called  the  first,  is  acknowledged  as  genuine. 
But  that  which  is  called  the  second,  we  have  not, 
*  See  the  First  Chapter. 


204  horsley's  interpretation 

indeed,  understood  to  be  embodied  with  the  sacred 
books,  i^ev  diadfr^ov)  yet  as  it  appeared  useful  to  many, 
it  was  studiously  read  with  the  other  Scriptures." 
"  Peter's  Epistles,  of  which  I  have  understood  only  one 
to  be  genuine,  and  admitted  by  the  ancient  fathers."  * 

If,  however,  this  Epistle  still  be  'considered  genu- 
ine, the  teaching  of  St.  Peter  would  seem  yet  to  be 
very  difficult  to  render  clearly  intelligible  in  any  sense 
that  we  should  find  it  easy  to  admit.  To  do  so,  we 
must  adopt  principles  of  interpretation,  which,  though 
followed  by  many  of  the  more  superstitious  Jews,  are 
hardly  considered  sound  by  intelligent  Christians. 
What  is  meant  by  no  prophecy  being  of  any  private, 
i.  e.  individual  interpretation  ?  Perhaps  the  sense 
given  by  Bishop  Horsley  is  the  best,  i.  e.  that  proph- 
ecies are  not  detatched  predictions  of  separate  inde- 
pendent events,  but  are  united  in  system,  all  terminating 
in  one  great  object,  the  Messiah's  kingdom. 

This  would  render  the  twenty-first  verse  clear*  and 
intelligible,  "  for  the  prophecy  came  not  of  old  time  by 
the  will  of  men,  but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  The  meaning  must 
be  that  the  predictions  did  not  originate  in  their  own 
minds,  but  in  the  impulse  of  the  Spirit,  who  made  the 
organs  of  these  holy  men  his  own  instruments  for 
revealing   the  future.     It  is  no  part  of  our  object  here, 

*  Eusebius,  Lib.  Ill,  Chap.  3. 


gaussen's  ideas.  205 

to  discuss  the  nature  of  prophetic  inspiration,  or  to  call 
in  question  that  there  may  have  been  particular  in- 
stances of  such  inspiration,  both  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  the  New.  But  when  from  such  a  passage, 
Gaussen  goes  on  to  secure  the  same  degree  of  infalli- 
bility to  the  ivhole  of  the  Old  Testament,  by  asserting 
that  all  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament  and  of 
the  New  are  prophetic,*  it  seems  time  that  some 
boundary  should  be  set  to  the  enormous  extravagance, 
which,  under  the  pleas  and  exigencies  of  supporting 
a  system  of  supposed  orthodoxy,  would  destroy  the 
true  character  of  a  thousand  holy  laws,  and  proverbs, 
passages  of  history  and  songs  of  praise,  and  grind  up 
all  the  finest  utterances  of  holy  men  into  mystic 
prophecies.  Indeed,  if  we  wanted  proof  of  the  per- 
nicious views  of  Inspiration  we  are  opposing,  it  is  just 
such  results  as  these  which  render  the  pretext  of 
establishing  the  infallibility  of  the  Old  Testament, 
would  convert  the  whole  into  a  mass  of  mystical 
prophetic  fable.  "Joshua  was  as  fully  a  prophet  of 
the  Lord  as  Isaiah;" — all  of  them  wrote  the  words  of 
which  St.  Peter  tells  us  "  that  none  of  them  spake  by 
the  will  of  man.  Surely,  this  is  what  Coleridge  so 
justly  complains  of,  "  the  ever  widening  spiral  ergo 
from  the  narrow  aperture  of  a  single  text." 

We  have  thus  seen  that  while  in  the  New  Testa- 
*  Chap.  6 :  Sec.  4  and  5. 


206  STKAINING    TEXTS. 

ment,  the  Saviour  refers  to  the  Old  Testament  as 
generally  inspired,  and  as  of  Divine  authority  for  the 
purposes  for  which  it  was  given,  yet  this  is  not  done  in 
such  a  way  as  to  assert  the  infallibility  of  every  part. 
The  other  view  even  if  made  out  at  all  from  the  New 
Testament  writings,  can  only  be  supported  by  taking 
for  granted  the  absolute  infallibility  of  these  writers 
beyond  what  they  would  have  claimed  for  themselves 
as  living  teachers.  And  further,  it  can  even  thus  only 
be  proved  by  straining  the  meaning  of  two  texts,  II 
Tim.  3 :  16  ;  and  II  Peter  1 :  20-21 ;  the  former  by  a 
misinterpretation  of  it,  and  the  latter  being  of  doubt- 
ful genuineness,  and  requiring  to  be  most  grossly 
perverted  and  enlarged,  before  it  can  avail  for  the 
purpose  in  question. 

The  results  of  this  discussion,  however,  will  be  made 
more  clear  in  the  following  chapter. 


mSPIRATION.  207 


CHAPTER   VII. 

THE    INSPIRATION    OF    THE    NEW    TESTAMENT    NOT    INFAL- 
LIBLE    OR    VERBAL. 

XrO  Christian  on  reading  the  New  Testament,  will 
-L*  fail  to  feel  the  internal  evidences  of  a  much 
higher  degree  of  inspiration  in  it,  than  in  the  Old, 
each  taken  as  a  whole.  If  there  is  any  exception  to 
this,  it  is  in  regard  to  the  Psalms,  (which,  strangely 
enough,  were  ranked  among  the  Jews,  with  Hagio- 
grapha  or  least  esteemed  division  of  their  Scriptures,) 
but  which  are  commonly  bound  up  together  with  the 
New  Testament.  Christianity  stands  on  a  higher  level 
than  Judaism. 

But  is  it  necessary  to  faith  in  Christ  and  Christianity, 
that  we  should  esteem  every  part  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment to  have  been  so  dictated  by  an  unerring  Spirit, 
as  to  be  infallible  itself?  "We  do  not  here  go  into 
the  question    of   the  Canon,  but    only  speak  now  in 


208  THE   PROMISE   OF 

regard  to  those  books  unmistakably  authentic,  and  felt 
by  all  Christians  to  be  of  Divine  authority.  We  need 
not  question  that  their  inspiration  formed  a  holy 
guidance,  rendering  these  Scriptures  a  sufficient  aid 
to  the  faith  of  the  good,  and  an  authority  resting  on 
the  Church  similar  to  that  exercised  by  the  Apostles  in 
their  lives  and  teachings.  But  they  are  not,  therefore, 
to  be  esteemed  absolutely  exempt  from  human  in- 
firmity. This  is  the  conclusion  to  which  we  must 
come. 

Indeed,  the  only  way  in  which  any  other  result  has 
been  obtained,  is  from  first  assuming  that  the  New 
Testament  teaches  the  infallibility  of  the  Old,  and  then 
arguing  a  fortiori  that  these  later  writings  as  being 
more  important  and  useful,  must  be  infallible  also. 
The  inconclusiveness  of  this  whole  process  has  been 
sufficiently  shown. 

Nearly  all  the  assertions  of  the  New  Testament 
Scriptures  in  regard  to  Inspiration  relate  to  tlie  Old 
Testament  and  not  to  itself.  In  the  Discourses  of 
our  Saviour  preserved  to  us,  full  as  they  are  of  allu- 
sions to  the  Jewish  writings,  not  a  promise  is  given  nor 
a  word  is  said  in  regard  to  special  Divine  assistance  to 
be  extended  to  any  authors  of  books  as  such,  which 
were  yet  to  be  written.  There  is  no  prediction  of  any 
vjritinffs  to  be  given  by  Divine  direction.  The  assur- 
ances of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  sufiiciently  clear,  nuraer- 


THE   COMFORTER.  209 

ous  and  decisive,  but  relate  to  a  general  direction  of 
the  conduct  and  words  of  the  disciples,  giving  them 
wisdom  for  each  hour,  and  "bringing  all  things  to  their 
remembrance."  But  not  a  word  is  said  of  any 
especial  guidance  of  the  pen,  as  distinct  from  the  oral 
teaching.  No  command  is  given  beforehand,  as  to 
who  should  write,  or  what  should  or  should  not  be 
written.  No  intimation  is  made  that  any  records 
whatever  were  intended  to  be  given  to  mankind. 
Jesus  had  promised  his  inspiring  presence  to  the 
Church,  but  not  a  word  is  recorded  of  further  or 
special  inspiration  for  any  documents  such  as  now 
form  our  New  Testament.  If,  therefore,  we  admit  as 
much  Divine  authority  for  the  writings  of  an  Apostle, 
as  we  should  for  his  words  and  teachings,  it  is  cer- 
tainly all  that  the  Master  requires  or  requests. 

The  strongest  promise  of  Inspiration,  —  the  passage 
most  urgcntly"quoted  from  the  lips  of  our  Saviour  is 
perhaps  John  14  :  25-26.  "  These  things  have  I  spo- 
ken unto  you,  being  yet  present  with  you,  but  the 
Comforter  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost  whom  the  Father 
will  send  in  my. name,  he  shall  teach  you  all  things, 
and  shall  bring  all  things  to  your  remembrance 
whatsoever  I  have  said  unto  you."  Let  any  man  read 
over  carefully  the  whole  of  that  promise  of  the  Para- 
clete from  the  sixteenth  verse,  and  he  will  I  think 
perceive    that    it    is    the    assuring    of    an    Inspiring 


210  MATT.    10:    19. 

Presence  with  the  members  of  his  Universal  Church,  a 
promise  which,  while  inclusively  it  would  give  a 
peculiar  and  restored  vividness  to  all  his  personal 
teachings,  was  to  be  also  "  another  Comforter  that 
should  abide  with  them  for  eyer,"  and  be  a  fountain 
of  new  and  progressive  instructions  as  they  were  able 
to  bear  them.  Not  a  word  is  said  specifically  about 
guiding  their  writings.  "  When  they  shall  deliver  you 
up,  take  no  thought  how  or  what  you  shall  speak,  for 
it  shall  be  given  you  in  that  same  hour  what  ye  shall 
speak,  for  it  is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  spirit  of  your 
Father  which  speaketh  in  you."  Matt.  10 :  19,  or  as 
Luke  expresses  it,  "  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  teach  you  in 
the  same  hour  what  ye  ought  to  say."  Yet  this 
strong  language  was  never  regarded  as  conferring 
absolutely  infallible  wisdom  and  knowledge  and  pro- 
priety upon  the  speech  even  of  Apostles  in  every  case 
where  they  were  brought  before  rulers  for  Christ's  sake. 
Would  Paul  himself  have  claimed  it,  when  he  said, 
"  God  shall  smite  thee,  thou  whited  wall,"  and  after- 
wards retracted  and  apologized,  saying,  "  I  wist  not 
brethren  that  he  was  the  High  Priest,  for  it  is  written, 
thou  shalt  not  speak  evil  of  the  ruler  of  the  people." 
Why  then  should  we  pretend  to  claim,  or  rather  to 
wring"  out  of  the  general  promise  of  the  Paraclete 
(John  14 :  26,)  an  assurance  of  infallibility  to  each  of 
the   New    Testament  writers   which   even    the    more 


II    CORINTHIANS,  211 

specific  assurances  of  Matt.  10 :  19,  were  never  in- 
tended to  convey  ?  We  may  and  ought  freely  to 
concede  to  the  Sacred  and  Canonical  writings  of  the 
Church,  the  same  Divine  Authority  and  guidance  that 
inspired  the  personal  teachings  of  their  authors  but  no 
more.  That  inspiration  and  guidance  is  all  sufficient 
in  each  case  for  the  purposes  intended,  and  it  shall  be 
until  the  end  of  time.  But  all  claims  beyond  this 
can  only  throw  suspicion  on  what  are  valid  and  true; 
—  can  only  make  infidels  of  many  thinking  men,  and 
fanatics  of  the  unthinking. 

If  now  wc  turn  from  the  words  of  Jesus  to  Ihose 
of  the  New  Testament  writers  themselves,  it  will  not 
be  difficult  to  ascertain  whether  they  claim  as  a  whole, 
any  marked  or  distinctive  pre-eminence  for  the  inspira- 
tion of  their  writings  over  that  of  their  own  personal 
teachings.  It*  is  true,  indeed,  that  St.  Paul  mentions 
some  in  his  day  as  declaring  of  him  "  his  letters  are 
weighty  and  powerful,  but  his  bodily  presence  is  weak, 
and  his  speech  contemptible."  This  might  have  been 
consistent  enough  with  some  modern  theories  of  In- 
spiration. But  St.  Paul  at  least  never  dreamed  of  such 
a  distinction,-  and  repudiates  it.  "  Let  such  an  one 
think  this,"  he  adds,  "  that  such  as  we  are  in  word  by 
letter  when  we  are  absent,  (alluding  to  I  Corinthians,) 
such  will  we  be  also  in  deed,  when  we  are  present." 
Of  the  Apostolic  preaching  he  uses  language  as  strong 


212  I  COR.  7:  40. 

or  even  stronger  than  anything  he  ever  says  about 
writing.  "  I  certify  you  brethren  that  the  gospel  which 
was  preached  by  me  was  not  after  man,  for  I  nei- 
ther received  it  of  man,  neither  was  I  taught  it,  but 
by  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ."  And  yet  he  ever 
felt  that  both  he  and  Peter  had  this  treasure  in 
earthen  vessels  neither  were  "  already  perfect."  Of  his 
writings,  he  speaks  in  very  similar  language.  "  If 
any  man  think  himself  to  be  a  prophet  or  spiritual, 
let  him  acknowledge  that  these  things  which  I  write 
unto  you  are  the  commandments  of  the  Lord."  If 
ever  \here  was  a  man  truly  and  consciously  inspired  of 
God,  it  was  Paul.  And  yet  the  lines  between  in- 
spired and  human  wisdom  so  ran  into  each  other,  that 
he  could  not  always  be  certain  in  himself  which  was 
which.  There  are  times  when  he  can  only  say,  "  / 
think  I  have  the  mind  of  the  Spirit."-  I  Cor.  7 :  40. 
At  other  times,  he  '■'■supposes''^  what  is  good  for  the 
present  distress,  having  "  no  commandment  of  the 
Lord,"  or  speaks  by  "permission  and  not  by  com- 
mandment." There  were  in  fact  in  his  experience, 
very  different  degrees  of  certainty  and  fallibility  at- 
tending his  own  Inspiration.  It  is  true  that  in  the 
First  of  Corinthians,  he  uses  such  strong  language  as 
this,  "  I  command,  yet  not  I  but  the  Lord,  let  not  the 
wife  depart  from  her  husband,"  &c.  And  then  he 
adds,  "  But  to  the  rest  speak  I,  not  the  Lord,"  —  and 


Matthew's  gospel.  213 

further  on,  after  giving  his  judgment,  he  says,  "  I  think 
also  that  I  have  the  Spirit  of  God."  Some  have^ 
indeed,' thought  that  8oy.a  here,  so  far  from  expressing 
a  doubt,  is  emphatic,  and  implies  the  highest  certainty. 
But  this  only  shows  the  extent  to  which  the  best  men 
will  sometimes  wring  a  sense  out  of  the  plainest  lan- 
guage to  support  a  pre-conceived  theory.  Bloomfield 
approves  the  rendering,  "  I  trust  that  I  have  the  Spirit 
of  God ; "  —  "  denoting  full  persuasion  though  modestly 
expressed." 

Nearly  all  the  assertions  of  the  New  Testament  wri- 
ters as  to  Inspiration  however,  refer  to  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  not  to  the  New.  Of  their  own  and  of  each 
others'  writings,  (except  in  II  Peter,  of  which  we  have 
before  remarked,)  there  is  none  of  that  self-assertion,  or 
peculiar'claim  for  these  Scriptures  as  of  more  authority 
or  infallibility  than  their  living  instructions,  which  we 
might  have  expected  to  find,  if  indeed,  any  such  distinc- 
tion existed  in  their  minds. 

To  such  an  extent  is  this  the  case,  that  it  is  to  tradi- 
tion alone  or  circumstantial  evidence,  apart  from  their 
own  claims,  that  we  are  indebted  for  our  knowledge  of 
who  the  writers  of  the  four  gospels  were.  Matthew 
begins  his  gospel  without  any  intimation  to  us,  of  who 
is  writing,  or  by  what  authority  he  writes.  It  is  the 
internal  character  of  his  work,  or  the  tradition  of  the 
Church,  which  assures  us  of  its  value  and  inspiration. 


214  WESTCOTT    ON    MATTHEW. 

Nothing  is  claimed  for  it  by  the  author  or  any  other 
New  Testament  writer.  Even  the  traditions  are  most 
perplexing,  not  informing  us  how  or  by  whom  it 
was  translated  into  Greek,  from  the  supposed  original 
Aramaic,  in  which  it  is  asserted  to  have  been  written. 
"  The  history  of  the  present  gospel  of  St.  Matthew," 
says  Westcott,*  "is  beset  with  peculiar  difficulties, 
and  the  earliest  writers  are  silent  as  to  the  circumstan- 
ces which  attended  its  composition.  While  using  the 
Greek  text,  as  unquestionably  authentic,  they  recog- 
nize unanimously  the  existence  of  a  Hebrew  Ai'chetype, 
of  which  they  seem  to  regard  the  canonical  book  as  an 
authoritative  translation,  or  representative,  but  still 
without  offering  any  explanation  of  the  manner  in 
which  this  substitution  was  made.  Pap*as,  possibly 
on  the  testimony  of  the  elder  John  (though  this  is  not 
clear,)  states  simply  that  "  Matthew  composed  his 
history  in  the  Hebrew  language,  but  each  interpreted  it 
as  he  could."  f  "  In  the  next  generation,  the  Greek 
gospel  was  used  most  commonly  by  Justin,  though  he 
is  silent  as  to  the  authorship."  Afterwards  it  was 
recognized  as  the  gospel  of  Matthew.  Mark  also 
begins  without  announcing  himself,  and  is  nowhere 
endorsed  by  any  other  New  Testament  author,  and  the 
same  is  true  of  the  third  gospel,  though  addressed  to 
Theophilns  and  referred  to  in  the  Acts. 

*  Introduction,  p.  194.  t  Euscbius  3  :  39. 


LUKE  1:  1-4.        .  215 

But  this  gospel  of  Luke   affords  the   most  decisive 
possible  disproof  of  any  belief  by  its  author  in   mod- 
ern views  of  Inspiration.     For  though  carefully  stating 
the  ground  on  which  it  claims  a  peculiar  regard  on  our 
part,  yet  by  never  alluding  to  any  infallible  guidance 
and  dictation,  it  repudiates  in  the  most  complete  man- 
ner,  the   consciousness    or   belief  on   the    part   of  the 
writer,  that  he   was  guided  in  any  such  manner.     Let 
any  one  carefully  study   Luke   1 :  1-4,  and  while  he 
will  be  convinced  of  the  perfect  sincerity,  carefulness 
and  trustworthiness  of  the  author  who  teUs  with  per- 
fect simplicity,  the  grounds  on  which  we  may  "  knoio 
the  certainty "  of  the  things  most  surely  believed  by 
the   first   Christians,    it   seems    impossible   to    suppose 
that    he    had    at    the   same    time,    another   conscious, 
demonstrable  ground  of  security  against  all  error,  one 
capable  of  superceding  all  the  rest,  —  i.  e.  the  dictating 
guidance  of  an  infallible  Spirit,  and  yet  failed  to  allude 
to   it.     If  he  felt    this,   why  not  assert  it,   instead  of 
recapitulating  his  other  and   more   human  advantages, 
such  as,- that  the  things  he  writes  were  delivered  to 
him    by   those  who   from   the  beginning  were  eye-wit- 
nesses of  them,  and   officers  of  the  Church  ;  —  that  he 
had   had    perfect    understanding   of   all    things,   and 
arranged  the  whole  in  an  orderly  narrative.     Why  urge 
all  this,  when   he  could  have  accomplished  the  end  in 
view,  i.  e.  securing  credence  of  his  facts,  much   more 


216  .APOSTOLIC    CONSTITUTIONS. 

effectually  and  simply  by  asserting  the  infallible  inspi- 
ration of  the  Holy  Spirit?  "Why  produce  the  inferior 
evidence,  and  omit  the  more  demonstrative  ?  It  is 
incredible  that  he  should  do  so,  if  he  were  conscious 
of  possessing  it.  That  single  passage  settles  the  whole 
matter. 

There  is  a  work  called  the  Apostolic  Constitutions, 
the  first  part  of  which  was  palmed  off  as  the  genuine 
production  of  the  Apostles,  some  centuries  before  the 
latter  part  or  eighth  book  w^as  written.  And  though 
the  last  is  clearly  a  fiction,  and  Luke's  preface  a  sim- 
ple and  elegant  statement  of  the  fact,  yet  if  the  two 
are  for  a  moment  compared,  the  reader  will'  see  some- 
thing of  that  self-assertion  which  would  have  been 
natural,  had  Luke  desired  to  claim  infallibility  for  his 
narrative 

Iij  Book  VlII.  chap.  3-4  of  the  Apostolic  Con- 
stitution, we  read,  "  Our  discourse  hasteneth  us  to  the 
principal  part  of  the  portraiture  of  ecclesiastical  affairs, 
that  so,  when  ye  have  learned  this  constitution  from  us, 
ye  who  have  been  ordained  Bishops  by  us,  conformably 
to  the  will  of  Christ,  may  perform  all  things  according 
to  the  commands  delivered  to  us ;  knowing  that  he 
who  hcareth  us,  heareth  Christ,  and  he  who  hearetii 
Christ,  heareth  his  God  and  Father,  to  wjiom  be  glory 
for  ever.  Amen.  Wherefore,  we  the  twelve  Apostles 
of  the  Lord,  who  are  now  together,  give  you  in  charge 


REV.  22:  19.  217 

these  our  Divine  Constitutions,  concerning  every 
ecclesiastical  form ;  there  being  present  with  us,  Paul 
the  chosen  vessel,  our  fellow  Apostle,  and  James  the 
Bishop,  and  the  rest  of  the  Presbyters  and  the  seven 
Deacons."  This  work  closes  with  giving  a  list  of  the 
Canonical  Books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament 
adding  to  them,  "  the  two  epistles  of  Clement,  and  the 
Constitutions  dictated  to  you,  the  Bishops,  by  me, 
Clement,  in  eight  books,  which  it  is  not  proper  to  pub- 
lish before  all,"  &c. 

Luke  never  claims  even  the  endorsement  of  a  single 
Apostle,  for  his  infallibility,  much  less  the  dictation  of 
an  infallible  spirit.  He  had  faith  that  words  of  truth 
and  simplicity  wing  their  way  to  every  heart  that 
loyes  the  truth,  and  that  Preface  proves  his  confidence 
well  founded.  But  the  ill  judged  and  erroneous  claims 
of  his  later  followers  are  thus  clearly  refuted  by  his 
own  words. 

Rev.  22 :  19,  in  regard  to  "  adding  to  or  taldng 
from  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book,"  has, 
indeed,  been  sometimes  quoted  as  if  tlie  Apostle 
John  at  least  was  commanded  to  assure  us  of  the 
infallible  dictation  of  the  whole  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. But  on  the  Continent  of  Europe,  from  the 
time  of  Luther  downwards,  several  of  the  best  critics 
assert  that  not  John  the  Apostle,  but  John  the  Pres- 
byter   was    the    author    of    the    Apocalypse.     Not  to 


218  CONDENSED    VIEW 

dwell  on  this,  however,  the  words  used  are  expressly- 
confined  to  the  Revelations,  apart  from  the  other 
books  of  the  New  Testament,  which  were  not  col- 
lected into  the  same  volume  for  about  a  hundred 
years  afterwards.  Indeed,  the  book  of  Revelation 
was  not  generally  received  into  the  Canon  till  two  hun- 
dred years  later. 

To  sum  up  now  what  has  thus  been  advanced  as 
to  the  claims  which  the  books  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment make  on  their  own  behalf,  there  are  passages 
which  speak  of  some  of  these  writings  as  inspired, 
and  as  such  each  Christian  must  accept  them.  We 
will  not  discuss  how  far  he  is  bound  to  receive  every 
one  of  the  minor  epistles,  (that  is  a  question  which 
belongs  to  the  New  Testament  Canon,)  but  these 
books  are  inspired,  as  the  Apostles  themselves  were 
inspired  in  their  conduct  while  living,  —  no  more  and 
no  less.  There  are  certainly  many  passages,  which 
taken  alone  might  seem  to  speak  as  if  the  books  then 
received  as  Scripture,  were  all  infallibly  dictated. 
But  the  expressions  are  quite  as  numerous,  and  even 
far  stronger  in  favor  of  this  dictation  of  all  the  un- 
written words  and  even  works  of  the  Apostles,  when 
they  debated,  disputed  and  contradicted  each  other,* 
almost  as  much  as  modern  Christians  do,  but  when 
yet  an  insphing  spirit  brooded  over  the  whole  and 
*  Acts  15  :  2 ;  Gal.  2 :  16-18. 


OF   NEW   TESTAMENT.  219 

conducted  the  Church  to  the  loftiest  truths  and  most 
glorious  results.  Although  when  brought  before 
priests,  kings  and  rulers,  the  human  element  still 
remained  in  the  Apostles,  so  that  they  made  hasty  and 
un-Christ-hke  replies,  yet  still  what  Jesus  had  promised 
was  gloriously  verified  in  their  lives  and  words  as  a 
whole.  "  It  is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  spirit  of  your 
Father  that  speaketh  in  you."  There  were  times  when 
the  inspiration  rose  within  them,  and  became  verbal 
and  prophetic;  there  were  others  when  the  human 
element  became  more  conspicuous.  The  promise  was 
never  meant  to  assert  that  every  extemporaneous  word 
a  disciple  of  Christ  uttered  should  be  absolutely  infal- 
lible. The  promise,  whatever  it  means,  belongs  to  the 
saints  of  alLtime,  and  the  Church  at  the  Reformation 
rejected  the  interpretation  that  declared  itself  infallible. 
But  it  was  a  promise  richly  fulfilled  of  a  guidance 
sufficient  for  all  real  purposes.  The  occasion  was  to 
give  practical  wisdom,  and  bring  out  of  the  depths  of 
their  pious  hearts,  its  own  inspiration,  better  adapted 
to  each  combination  of  circumstances,  than  any 
studied  rhetoric  or  elaborated  reasonings.  'There  are 
occasions  when  the  very  imperfections  of  an  honest, 
holy  soul  become  the  greatest  perfection.  And  when 
we  have  sought  truth  with  our  best  powers,  the  highest 
wisdom  and  inspiration  which  is  in  us  at  the  hour  of 
action,   ought    ever   to    be    the    same  in  its  practical 


220  OBJECT    OF   OLD    TESTAMENT 

effects  upon  us,  as  if  it  were  absolute  and  unerring 
certainty. 

Now  all  this  is  plain  and  clear  enough  in  regard  to 
the  lives  and  unwritten  teachings  of  Evangelists  and 
Apostles,  and  even  of  the  saints  of  all  ages  in  propor- 
tion to  the  exigencies  of  the  case,  nor  does  it  make  any 
Christian  of  experience  in  these  things,  doubt  the  living 
reality  of  Christianity.  Indeed,  he  regards  all  other 
claims  and  views  of  Divine  guidance  now  as  fanatical. 
Why  then  is  it,  that  when  we  come  to  the  writings  of 
the  same  men  two  thousand  years  ago,  we  should  want 
to  use  the  very  icord  inspiration  in  a  different  sense,  and 
question  the  reality  of  the  gift,  if  it  render  not  the  indi- 
vidual document  absolutely  and  verbally  faultless  ? 
For  the  practical  guidance  of  the  Church,  rightly  re- 
ceived, the  New  Testament  is  the  same  thing  as  infalli- 
ble, and  yet  speculatively,  there  must  ever  be  allowed 
owing  to  the  human  element,  room  for  vast  exceptions. 

In  the  Old  Testament,  (the  inspired  Preface  to  the 
New,)  we  have  seen  that  Genesis  is  not  scientifically 
infallible,  when  it  says,  the  heavens  and  the  earth  and 
all  their  host  were  created  in  six  days.  Ail  this  is  but 
the  Preface  to  the  Divine  law  which  Moses  gave  the 
Jews,  the  wisest  and  best  for  the  age  and  for  the  peo- 
ple. Moses  was  inspired  to  utter  great  truths  in  his 
day.  It  is  of  no  importance  whether  he  or  Samuel 
began  to  commit  these  books  to  writing,  and  whether 


INSPIRATION.  221 

Hilkiah  or  Ezra  finished  correcting  the  Pentateuch. 
Whoever  wrote  it,  did  so  to  teach  the  Jews  that  Divine 
wisdom  and  power  founded  all  Nature,  and  gave  to  it, 
and  to  man,  their  present  laws.  The  Cosmogony  of 
the  day  irl  all  those  nations  from  the  Oxus  to  Egypt 
and  Phoenicia,  taught  the  people  as  a  part  of  the  great 
unwritten  creed,  that  the  creation  took  place  in  six  days, 
just  about  as  it  is  recorded  in  Genesis,  and  the  inspired 
writer  would  no  more  have  thought  of  stopping  to  cor- 
rect the  belief  of  that  age  on  that  subject,  had  he  known 
better,  than  he  would  have  stopped  to  teach  the  Coper- 
nican  system,  and  set  right  all  their  notions  about  the 
rising  and  the  setting  sun.  His  inspiration  led  him  to 
teach  the  Jews  this  great  truth,  that  God  did  it. 
Whether  creation  was  effected  by  laws  extending 
through  vast  ages,  or  by  specific  interferences,  was  not 
even  the  point,  but  God  did  it.  That  is  the  inspired 
truth  which  has  given  its  vitality  to  Genesis. 

And  now  when  we  open  the  New  Testament,  we 
may  not,  because  we  must  not  be  afraid  to  admit  that 
there  are  errors  and  discrepancies  in  it,  just  such  as 
honest,  earnest,  pious  men  would  be  almost  sure  to  fall 
into,  because  they  were  men,  —  some  of  them  unlearn- 
ed and  ignorant  men,  but  none  the  less  truly  inspired, 
enlightened  and  elevated  by  the  spirit  of  God  on  that 
account. 

Thus  in  the  genealogies;  —  we  need  not  follow  all 


222  THE  GENEALOGIES. 

the  attempts  to  reconcile  the  plain  discrepancies  of 
Matthew  and  Lulvc,  but  just  take  by  way  of  illustration 
the  numhefpi  ancestors  of  our  Lord  as  given  in  Matthew 
1  :  17.  "  So  all  the  generations  from  Abraham  to  Da- 
vid are  fourteen  generations,  and  from  David  unto  the 
carrying  away  into  Babylon  are  fourteen  generations, 
and  from  the  carrying  away  into  Babylon  unto  Christ, 
are  fourteen  generations."  Now  it  is  clear  that  four- 
teen were  not  all  the  generations  from  David  to  the 
carrying  away  into  Babylon.  Dr.  E-obinson  in  the 
Notes  to  his  Harmony,  clearly  admits  this,  —  "  between 
Joram  and  Ozias  in  verse  eight,  three  names  of  Jewisti 
kings  are  omitted  viz.,  Ahaziah,  Joash  and  Amaziah.* 
Further  between  Josiah  and  Jeconiah  in  verse  eleven, 
the  name  of  Jehoiakim  is  also  omitted.  If  these  four 
names  are  to  be  reckoned,  then  the  second  division, 
instead  oi  fourteen  generations,  will  contain  eighteen." 

To  account  for  this.  Bishop  Newcombe  and  others, 
have  denied  the  genuineness  of  verse  seventeen.  But 
if  it  is  not  genuine,  no  part  of  the  first  two  chapters 
are.  '■'■All  external  testimony  of  manuscript  and  ver- 
sions is  in  favor  of  it,"  as  Dr.  Robinson  admits.  Such 
omissions  sometimes  do  occur  in  these  tables,  often  the 
Rabbis  tell  us,  because  the  men  were  "  wicked  and 
impious."  But  this  could  hardly  have  been  the  case 
with  Joash.  At  any  rate,  many  worse  kings'  names 
*  See  II  liings  12 :  21 ;  and  14 :  1 ;  and  II  Chron.  24 :  27. 


"fourteen  generations."       223 

are  inserted,  and  similar  omissions  occur  in  other  gene- 
alogies, without  any  such  reason  being  possible.*  A 
more  specious  reason  is  that  these  tables  must  have 
been  so  arranged,  and  omissions  made  for  the  greater 
convenience  and  ease  of  remembering  the  rest.  But 
in  order  to  make  out  the  fourteen  generations  in  this 
second  case,  the  name  of  David  has  to  be  counted 
tivice,  once  at  the  last  of  the  first  series,  and  once  at 
the  beginning  of  the  second.  If  the  writer  of  this 
might  have  felt  at  liberty  to  strike  out  the  names  of 
three  generations  for  the  sake  of  uniformity,  he  would 
at  least  have  left  the  fourth  in  for  the  sake  of  making 
this  number  .come  right  without  counting  the  name  of 
David  twice.  No  ;  it  has  been  a  mistake.  Some  care- 
less scribe  from  whom  Matthew  copied  the  genealogi- 
cal table  had  omitted  these  four  names.  This  supposi- 
tion is  certainly  more  creditable  to  the  integrity  of  the 
writer  of  the  seventeenth  verse  than  to  suppose  he 
knew  at  the  moment  he  was  writing  "  fourteen  genera- 
tions," that  there  were  in  reality  seventeen.  The 
author  of  that  verse,  I  think,  believed  just  what  he 
wrote,  although  Strauss,  of  course,  thinks  he  did  not. 
But  Matthew  was  not  infallible.  So  there  will  be 
fouj;id  an  anachronism  in  Luke's  statement  in  regard 
to  the  enrolment. 

But  a  more  important  matter  for  consideration  here, 
*  See  Ezra  7  :  1-5,  compared  with  I  Chrou.  6 :  3-15. 


224  THE    SYNOPSIS 

than  these  slight  discrepancies,  is  the  very  striking  and 
verbatim  agreement  of  large  portions  of  Matthew, 
Mark  and  Luke,  the  three  Synoptical  Evangelists,  as 
they  are  termed.  To  those  who  are  familiar  with  the 
discussions  on  this  subject,  tlie  following  explana- 
tion will  perhaps  seem  unnecessary,  but  for  many 
readers  they  will  be  useful. 

If  any  one  will  take  Robinson's  Greek  Harmony 
of  the  Gospels,  or  even  his  English  Harmony,  and 
begin  at  section  fourteen,  he  will  be  struck  with  the 
close  similarity  and  even  identical  language  ift  which 
each  of  the  three  Evangelists  give  their  accounts  of 
the  Ministry  of  John  the.  Baptist.  Or  if  any  one 
will  read  together  Mark  1 :  2-8 ;  Matthew  3  :  1-12  ; 
and  Luke  3 :  3—18 ;  he  will  be  perfectly  sure,  either  that 
these  writers  copied  one  from  another,  or  else  that  all 
copied  from  some  common  pre-existing  source  of  in- 
formation. They,  each  of  them  for  instance,  quote 
Isaiah  40 :  3,  in  just  the  same  manner.  The  three 
accounts  of  the  Baptism  of  Jesus,  are  almost  equally 
similar.  So  in  sections  twenty -nine  and  thirty-one  of 
Robinson,  —  the  miraculous  draughts  of  fishes,  and  the 
healing  of  Peter's  wife's  mother,  and  in  many  other 
places,  it  is  not' merely  that  the  words  attributed  to  .our 
Lord  and  to  other  speakers  are  so  similar,  but  that  the 
narratives  are  in  parts  so  word  for  word  alike,  as  to 
assure  the  reader  that  they  had  before  them  some  com- 


OP  THE   GOSPELS.  225 

mon  source  of  information,  unless  as  I  have  said,  the 
the  last  copied  from  the  first.  It  used  to  be  supposed 
that  this  was  the  proper  method  of  accounting  for 
these  and  similar  passages.  A  more  close  examination 
has,  however,  convinced  many  that  there  must  have 
been,  before  either  Matthew's,  Mark's  or  Luke's  gospel 
was  written,  a  synopsis  of  the  Life  of  Christ  in  com- 
mon use  among  the  Christians.  This,  the  synoptical 
Evangelists  embodied  in  those  parts  in  which  they 
thus  closely  resemble  each  other.  In  writing,  every 
author  ^dded  such  further  facts  as  he  knew  and  wished 
to  convey,  and  with  such  particular  comments  and 
explanations  of  the  whole,  as  were  necessary  to  make 
the  gospel  intelligible  to  those  to  whom  he  wrote. 

The  wTiter  has  before  him  a  Life  of  Christ  foaned 
simply  on  the  basis  of  inserting  only  those  passages  of 
the  three  first  Evangelists,  which  are  related  by  any 
two  or  more  of  them,  and  which,  it  is  clear,  must  have 
formed  parts  therefore  of  the  original  synopsis.  It 
makes  a  very  complete  history  of  Jesus,  from  the  point 
where  Mark  begins,  i.  e.  the  Baptism  of  John.  In 
fact,  it  puts  us  in  a  position  to  say  that  we  know  what 
that  common  mother  gospel  was,  —  the  Synopsis  which 
formed  the  basis  of  the  first  three. 

Whether  this  Synopsis  was  even  reduced  to  writing 
before  the  first  of  our  gospels  was  composed,  is  an 
open    and   much   disputed   question.       Westcoft   and 


226  WAS    THE   SYNOPSIS 

others  seem  rather  to  take  it  for  granted,  than  stop  to 
prove  that  this  gospel  was  oral  and  not  written.  In 
Chap.  Ill,  on  the  origin  of  the  Gospels,  Mr.  W.  seems 
to  think  that  "  the  spiritual  position  of  the  Apostles 
was  incompatible  with  the  design  of  forming  a  perma- 
nent Christian  literature,  while  yet  favorable  to  its 
formation."  He  says,  "they  seem  to  have  placed  little 
value  upon  the  written  witness  to  words  and  acts, 
which  still,  as  it  were,  lived  among  them.  The 
'  coming  age '  to  which  they  looked  forward,  was  not 
one  of  arduous  conflict,  but  of  complete  triumph.  But 
while  everything  shows  that  the  Apostles  made  no 
conscious  provision  for  the  requirements  of  after  times, 
in  which- the  life  of  the  Lord  would  be  the  subject  of 
remote  tradition,  they  were  enabled  to  satisfy  a  want 
which  they  did  not  anticipate.  That  which  was  in  its 
origin,  most  casual,  became  in  effect  most  permanent 
by  the  presence  of  a  divine  energy."  The  national 
character  of  the  Palestinian  Jews,  was,  he  thinks,  gen- 
erally alien  from  literature.  "  The  rules  of  Scriptural 
interpretation,  the  varied  extension  of  the  law,  and  the 
sayings  of  the  Elders,  were  preserved  either  by  oral 
tradition,  or  perhaps  in  some  degree  by  secret  rolls,  till 
the  final  dispersion'of  the  Jewish  nation  led  to  the  com- 
pilation of  the  Mishna.  '  Commit  nothing  to  writing,' 
was  the  characteristic  principle  of  the  earlier   Rabbins, 


WRITTEN   OR   ORAL.  227 

and  even  those  who  like  Gamaliel,  were  familiar  with 
Greek  learning,  faithfully  observed  it." 

The  Apostles,  he  says,  commenced  with  preaching 
not  writing,  and  this  was  the  foundation  of  the  Apos- 
tolic Gospel,  yet  it  caused  no  drawback  from  its  final 
completeness.  "  The  Gospel  was  a  growth,  not  an  in- 
stantaneous creation.  The  synoptical  Gospels  were  the 
results^  not  the  foundation  of  the  Apostolic  preaching. 
The  primary  Gospel  was  proved,  so  to  speak,  in  life, 
before  it  was  fixed  in  \vriting.  *  *  *  T^he. 
oral  collection  thus  formed,  became  in  every  sense, 
coincident  with  the  "  Gospel,"  and  our  Gospels  are  the 
permanent  compendium  of  its  contents."  "  Till  the 
end  of  the  first  century,  and  probably  till  the  time  of 
Justin  Martyr,  the  "  Gospel "  uniformly  signifies  the 
substance  and  not  the  records  of  the  life  of  Christ." 

Perhaps  this  subject  may  best  be  illustrated  by  the 
so  called  Apostle's  Creed,  which  Viras  clearly  the  sum- 
mary of  the  catechetical  teaching,  in  which  all  the  can- 
didates for  baptism  were  instructed  orally  before  being 
propounded  for  admission,  and  which  they  were  taught 
with  an  increasing  uniformity,  to  repeat  memoriter 
before  the  Church,  on  being  received  for  baptism. 
"  I  believe  in  God  the  Father,  Almighty,  Maker  of 
heaven  and  earth,"  &c.  The  first  copy  of  this  com- 
mitted to  writing,  that  we  have,  is  that  by  Irenasus, 
but  it  had   been   in  use  orally  a  long  time,  and  was  a 


228  LUKE  1:  1. 

gradual  growth,  one  or  two  of  the  clauses,  such  as 
that  of  the  '  communion  of  saints,'  the  holy  Catholic 
Church,  and  the  descent  into  hell,  being  later  additions. 
But  it  was  the  oral  confession,  long  before  it  became 
the  written  creed  of  the  Church.  And  it  is  supposed 
that  gradually  the  substance  of  the  united  Apostolic 
testimony,  as  to  the  life  of  Christ,  condensed  itself  into 
that  mother  Gospel  which  the  three  have  made  the 
basis  of  their  written  accounts  of  the  Saviour. 

That  large  portions,  if  not  the  whole  of  it,  were, 
however,  committed  to  writing  before  our  Evangelists 
took  the  pen,  seems  to  me  almost  demonstrable  from 
the  use  of  words  so  precisely  the  same  in  particular 
parts,  while  the  freedom  from  exactness  with  which 
they  use  language  at  other  times  would  seem  to  indi- 
cate that  they  did  not  generally  stop  to  make  extracts, 
but  trusted  to  a  memory  which  was  quite  familiar  with 
the  whole  story.  Luke  1:1,  seems  to  allude  to  writ- 
ten accounts  as  verse  second  does  to  traditionary 
accounts  at  that  time,  whenever  it  was,  pre-existing. 
It  was  not,  then,  that  tlie  Evangelists  copied  purposely 
one  from  the  other,  as  some  have  tried  to  establish. 
There  are  no  breaks,  or  marks,  or  changes  of  style, 
such  as  that  would  lead  us  to  expect,  but  there  is  an 
easy  flow,  like  that  of  men  wTiting  out  what  they  had 
long  been  accustomed  to  talk  over  in  the  same  lan- 
guage for  the  most  part,  and  only  in  a  very  rough  kind 


John's  gospel.  229 

• 

of  order.  But  it  was  yet  often  with  that  verbal  iden- 
tity of  phrase  which  must  have  arisen  from  the  precise 
words  having  been  previously  written  out  somewhere. 

In  the  Gospel  of  John,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is 
no  allusion  to  this  synopsis,  which  can  only  be  ac- 
counted for  by  supposing  either  that  it  was  written 
very  early,  even  before  the  synopsis  had  come  into  use, 
or  at  a  period  after  the  substance  of  it  had  been  incor- 
porated by  the  other  three,  and  all  that  was  esteemed 
desirable  was  supplementary  matter.  Some  have, 
therefore,  assigned  to  the  fourth  gospel  the  earliest 
date  of  any  of  the  four,  while  others  more  correctly 
consider  it  (as  the  earliest  traditions  assert)  to  have 
been  written  considerably  after  the  other  three.  The 
more  numerous  quotations  from  the  other  Evan- 
gelists, and  the  allusions  to  Gnostic  heresies  by  John, 
must  settle  this.  Tischendorf  has  pretty  well  shown 
that  this  Gospel  must  have  been  written  and  used  in 
the  Church  as  early  as  the  first  quarter  of  the  second 
century  or  earlier,  yet  clearly  not  until  the  other 
three  had  obtained  currency.* 

There  is,  indeed,  nothing  in  all  this  that  need  inter- 
fere with  the  common  views  of  plenary  inspiration. 
Yet  a  close  stiidy  of  the  four  Evangelists,  comparing 
them  in  this  light, "will  show  the  human  element  of 
Inspiration  in  a  striking  point  of  view.     Perhaps  the 

*  Sec  Christian  Examiner,  July,  1866. 


230  AN    ANACHRONISM. 

most  important  apparent  discrepancy  which  is  found- 
between  the  Synoptical  Gospels  and  John,  is  this, 
that  from  the  former  it  is  quite  certain  that  Jesus  and 
his  disciples  partook  of  the  feast  of  the  Passover  on  the 
night  on  which  he  was  betrayed,  while  from  the  latter, 
(Jehn)  it  would  appear  as  if  the  Passover  was  not  cel- 
ebrated by  the  rest  of  the  Jews  until  after  sentence 
against  him  by  Pilate.  Robinson  has  very  ably 
attempted  to  reconcile  the  difficulty  by  supposing  that 
John  is  speaking  of  the  Passover  festival  of  unleavened 
bread,  after  the  supper  had  been  eaten.*  He  supposes^ 
therefore,  that  the  Saviour  partook  of  the  Paschal  Sup- 
per on  the  same  night  as  the  rest  of  the  Jewish  nation, 
and  that  they  had  already  partaken  of  it  when  he  was 
betrayed.  Perhaps  it  cannot  be  said  that  this  view  is 
absolutely  irreconcilable  with  the  language  of  John,  as 
many  have  thought,  and  yet  there  arc  so  many  pas- 
sages which  seem  to  imply  that  no  part  of  the  festival 
had  commenced  when  Judas  went  out  of  the  supper 
room,t  and  the  Passover  was  part  of  it,  that  the  ap- 
pearance certainly  is  that  of  an  anachronism  on  the 
part  of  John. 

Nor  should  it  here  in  fairness  be  forgotten  that  there 
is  a  similar  appearance  of  mistake  in  John  18:  3, 
where    Judas   with  a   band  of    ilien    and    officers,   is 

*  See  Robinson's  Harmony,  Greek  Sections  133-158,  Notes. 
t  John  13  :  1,  29  ;  18  :  28. 


THE   LANTERNS.  231 

* 

represented  as  approaching  Jesus  in  the  garden,  with 
lanterns  and  torches,  as  well  as  weapons.  "We  cannot 
say  certainly  whether  the  night  was  clear  or  cloudy, 
but  this  we  know,  that  since  it  was  on  the  night  of 
the  Paschal  supper,  it  was  the  fourteenth  day  from  the 
new  moon,  when  it,  therefore,  was  at  the  full.  In  the 
early  part  of  the  evening,  th^  rays  of  the  moon  might 
have  been  kept  somewhat  from  the  garden  of  Gethsem- 
ane,  by  the  shadow  of  the  Mount  of  Olives  behind  which 
it  would  rise,  i.  e.  in  the  east,  but  as  at  this  period  of 
the  month,  the  moon  rising  when  the  sun  sets,  it 
must  have  been  now  far  advanced  on  into  the  noon 
of  night.  If  it  were  clear,  the  moon  would  now  be 
shining  down  in  full  brightness  on  the  marble  splen- 
dors of  that  temple,  under  the  walls  of  which  Jesus 
must  have  passed  before  crossing  the  brook  Kedron, 
to  enter  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  under  the  shadow 
of  its  olive  trees.  And  yet,  whether  shining  or  cloudy 
(and  it  clearly  was  not  raining,)  it  seems  difficult  to 
conceive  the  necessity  or  usefulness  of  torches  and 
lanterns  at  the  full  of  the  moon.  Perhaps  it  was  the 
mention  of  the  torches  and  lanterns  that  suggested 
to  Dr.  Watts,  these  lines :  "  Twas  on  that  dark  and 
doleful  night,"  &c.,  but  a  little  reflection  would  have 
shown  him  that  outside  at  least,  it  must  have  been  just 
the  opposite,  nor  is  it  easy  to  see  how  either  clouds  or 
mountains,  shadows  or  trees  could  have  made  artificial 


232  PROOFS    OF   INSPIRATION. 

lights  useful  as  some  have  suggested.  It  appears  more 
like  the  imperfection  of  the  memory  of  an  aged  man 
so  sure  of  his  substantial  accuracy  that  he  did  not  stop 
to  report  and  perfect  his  recollections. 

I  have  thus  expressed  some  of  the  difficulties  that 
appear  to  stand  in  the  way  of  the  usual  theory  on  the 
subject  of  Inspiration,  both  in  regard  to  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, and  the  New.  But  on  the  other  hand  I  find 
the  proofs  of  an  overpowering  Inspiration  running 
through  these  books,  and  nowhere  more  evidently  than 
in  that  very  Gospel  of  John,  the  author  of  which  ap- 
pears, however,  to  have  been  betrayed  by  an  imperfect 
memory  into  some  inaccuracies,  unimportant  to  his 
subject. 


AUTHORITY   IN   RELIGION.  233 


CHAPTER    VIII 


AUTHORITY     IN      RELIGION. 


THERE  is  a  growing  tendency  towards  a  universal 
scepticism  as  to  the  old  forms  of  expression  in 
which  the  most  vital  parts  of  Christian  faith  have  been 
epwrapped  for  centuries  ;  and  to  the  superficial,  it  may 
perhaps  seem  that  the  concessions  we  have  made, 
might  encourage  this  disposition  to  a  dangerous  de- 
gree. But  there  is  also  among  the  deep  thinking  and 
philosophical,  a  tendency  earnestly  promoted  by  men 
like  Coleridge,  to  come  around  to  the  most  fundamen- 
tal principles  of  Christian  truth  as  the  only  possible 
basis  of  all  real  knowledge  and  true  philosophy. 

A  hundred  years  ago,  Hume  sneered  at  what  he 
mockingly  called  '  our  most  holy  religion,'  because,  he 
said,  it  is  founded  upon  faith  rather  than  upon  reas^on. 
But  one  of  the  most  profound  philosophers  of  our  day, 
Sir  William   Hamilton,  shows  that  reason  itself  must 


234  MILL   ON   MANSEL. 

rest  upon  an  ultimate  groundwork  of  faith,  not  oniy  in 
Religion,  but  in  all  real  science,  and  quotes  from  the 
writings  of  the  good  old  Christian  Father,  Augustine, 
as  containing  the  best  declaration  he  can  find  of  the 
relations  of  faith  and  reason  in  Philosophy.  Nor  will 
it  be  any  real  digression  from  the  work  before  us,  if, 
before  going  further,  we  here  pause  awhile,  to  show  the 
proper  province  of  Authority  as  distinct  from  Reason 
in  Religion,  the  relations  of  the  mang  to  the  yvcoaig. 

There  are  some  even  in  the  Protestant  Church,  whp 
assign  so  very  naiTow  a  scope  for  Reason  in  Religion, 
as  to  leave  it  doubtful  if  there  is  in  then*  view,  any 
such  thing  as  a  Science  of  Theology  at  all,  and  whether 
our  knowledge  of  Religion  and  of  God  ought  not  to 
be  a  simple  acquiescence  and  unreasoning  reception  of 
certain  words  of  Scripture,  without  even  any  due  con- 
sideration of  all  that  they  may  possibly  mean. 

Others  have  denied  the  validity  of  all  processes  of 
reasoning  as  to  the  bases  of  Natural  Theology,  but 
referred  as  Dr.  Mansel  does,  our  knowledge  of  the  very 
existence  and  attributes  of  a  Supreme  Being,  to  a 
mere  direct  and  unreasoning  feeling,  a  sort  of  instinct  of 
our  natures.  This  is  pietism  and  not  piety.  John  Stuart 
Mill  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  his  Examination  of  Sir 
William  Hamilton's  Philosophy,  has,  it  seems  to  me, 
incontrovertibly  answered  aU  the  reasoning  of  Dr.  Man- 


THEOLOGY   A    SCIENCE.  235 

sel,  and  reduced  it  fairly  to  the  most  absurd  con- 
clusions. 

Practically  it  is  most  important  that  we  should  be 
assured  that  Theology  not  only  is  a  science,  orderly 
and  clear,  but  one  that  is  the  simplest  in  its  elements, 
the  most  demonstrative  in  its  reasonings,  and  the  most 
sublime  in  its  conclusions ;  the  most  growing  and 
comprehensive  of  sciences,  because,  in  fact,  it  embraces 
and  harmonizes  them  all.  For  as  every  scientific  truth, 
when  discovered,  enlarges  our  knowledge  of  the  works 
and  character  of  God,  thus  enriching  our  Theology,  so 
all  true  reasonings  lead  but  to  fresh  revelations  of  the 
character  and  will  of  God.  He,  therefore,  who  de- 
preciates Reason  in  Religion,  despises  the  sources 
of  all  our  most  advanced  knowledge  of  Religion  itself. 

But  yet,  he  who  attempts  to  discover  Divine  truth 
by  any  processes  of  Reasoning  alone,  and  apart  from 
that  just  submission  of  the  soul  to  true  authority, 
which  reason  requires  as  a  previous  condition,  is  also 
the  man  who  is  certain  to  end  in  not  having  any  re- 
ligion at  all.  In  this.  Theology  is  not  different  from 
every  other  science,  but  follows  the  analogies  of  them 
all.  "  The  undevout  Philosopher  is  mad,"  anywhere 
and  everywhere. 

To  illustrate  this,  let  it  be  considered  in  the  first 
place  that  the  largest  number  and  the  most  important 
of  all  our  beliefs,  as  well  as  actions,  are  as  a  matter  of 


236  FAITH   THE   BASIS 

fact,  based,  not  on  Reason,  but  on  Authority.  Let  any 
man,  Christian  or  Infidel,  examine  his  life  for  a  day, 
and  see  which  ultimately  moves  or  guides  him  in  the 
most  important  concerns,  pure  reason  or  authority.  If 
he  is  a  little  unwell,  he  may  treat  sickness  by  his  own 
reason,  but  if  the  case  become  serious,  the  same  man 
puts  himself  under  the  authoritative  direction  of  his 
physician.  Suppose  the  doctor  were  to  come  to  his 
bedside,  and  say,  "  my  friend,  physicians  are  fallible, 
trust  not  to  their  directions,  but  reason  out  your  own 
case ;  here  is  a  work  that  refers  all  pathological  symp- 
toms to  their  proper  diseases,  and  here  is  the  Pharma- 
copia.  Put  no  faith  in  the  authority  of  doctors,  they 
are  fallible,  study  for  yourself.  Determine  from  this  book 
your  disease,  and  sec  there  your  remedy."  The  patient 
would  reply,  "  I  have  more  faith  in  your  authority  on 
a  question  of  health,  than  in  my  own  reasoning  on 
these  books."  And  thus  ever  the  more  serious  the  case, 
the  more  does  the  mind  seek  authority  rather  than  rea- 
son for  its  actual  aud  practical  guidance. 

In  family  life,  suppose  a  parent  to  teach  his  chil- 
dren to  receive  nothing  on  his  authority,  or  that  of 
law,  or  custom,  or  the  Sabbath  School,  or  the  Scrip- 
tures, but  on  their  own  reason  alone,  and  their  own 
sense  of  the  right,  the  true  and  the  beautiful!  All 
will  admit  that  the  child  must  begin  by  copying  holy 
examples,  by  obeying  the  instructions  of  parents  and 


OP   REASONING.  237 

teachers,  by  yielding  to  authority,  and  this  not  from 
fear  but  faith^  in  order  to  form  the  best  conceptions  of 
life  and  virtue.  Reason  may  come  in  afterwards  to 
discriminate  between  the  better  and  the  worse,  but 
there  could  be  nothing  to  reason  about,  until  a  con- 
ception of  first  principles  had  been  received  by  faith, 
upon  the  authority  of  some  instructor. 

Nor  is  this  true  only  in  practical  life  and  action.  It 
is  equally  so  in  matters  of  speculation.  Take  a  case 
of  the  purest  reason;  where  all  shall  depend  on  the 
correctness  of  some  calculation.  How  does  the  as- 
tronomer gain  the  greatest  final  certainty  of  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  whola?  Is  it  not  when  he  and  his 
friends  have  independently  gone  over  the  figures  many 
timeSy  or  all  come  to  the  same  conclusions  by  various 
processes.  He  thus  becomes  assured  of  the  correctness 
of  his  own  reasoning,  from  the  anthority  of  numerous 
tests.  Certainty  in  the  results  of  his  reasoning,  is 
based  finally  on  faith.  This  final  certainty  is  ob- 
tained by  ninety-nine  out  of  a  hundred,  not  from  any 
reasoning  at  all,  but  from  faith  in  the  word  of  others. 
Further  still,  the  profoundest  philosopher,  where  he 
receives  one  truth  on  his  own  reasoning,  receives  a 
thousand  others  upon  the  conclusions  of  proper  au- 
thority. So  little  are  the  greatest  and  wisest  guided 
by  mere  reasoning. 

And  this  prepares  the  way  for  another  remark,  that 


238  REASONING   RESTS 

not  only  practically  do  we  rest  more"  of  our  conclu- 
sions on  faith  in  authority,  than  on  the  deductions 
of  reason,  but  that  theoretically  and  philosophically 
reasoning  itself  on  all  ordinary  subjects,  even  of  a 
scientific  character,  rests  upon  a  basis  of  Authority. 
Sir  William  Hamilton  on  this  point,  quotes  the  words 
of  St.  Augustine  as  strictly  accurate.  "  We  kyiow 
what  rests  on  reason,  we  believe  what  rests  on  au- 
thority." But,  Sir  William  adds,  "reason  itself  must 
rest  at  last  upon  authority;  for  the  original  data  of 
reason  do  not  rest  upon  reason  itself,  but  are  nec- 
essarily accepted  by  it,  on  the  authority  of  what  is 
beyond  itself.  These  data  are,,  therefore,  in  rigid  pro- 
priety, beliefs  or  trusts.  Thus  it  is  that  in  the  last 
resorts,  we  must  perforce  philosophically  admit  that 
belief  is  the  primary  condition  of  reason,  and  not 
reason  the  ultimate  gi'ound  of  belief.  We  are  com- 
pelled to  surrender  the  proud  "  Litillige  ut  credas  "  of 
Abelard,  to  content  ourselves  with  the  humble  "  Crede 
ut  intelligas  "  of  Anselm. 

Of  course,  in  all  this  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  the 
term  Reason  is  used  in  different  senses  by  different 
writers.  Thus  far  we  have  used  it  for  the  reasoning 
power  simply,  as  distinct  from  those  first  principles, 
and  direct,  intuitive  beliefs,  which  constitute  that  basis 
of  authority  on  which  all  processes  of  reasoning  are 
conducted.     But   there    are    some  who,  on   the  other 


ON   AUTHORITY.  239 

hand,'  in  drawing  a  distinction  between  the  under- 
standing and  the  reason,  make  it  comprehend  all  those 
first  principles  which  cannot  be  proved,  and  which  (as 
Aristotle  says)  we  must  receive  from  some  authority. 
Those  who  wish  to  exalt  reason,  then,  make  it  include 
these  subjective,  intuitive  and  authoritative  beliefs  of 
the  mind  itself.  This  is  a  mere  question  of  definitions. 
In  this  view  of  reason,  authority  is  not  only  a  part, 
but  the  most  vital  and  fundamental  part  of  all  rea- 
son, instead  of  something  separate  and  distinct  if  not 
opposed.  Authority  is  thus  a  something  without  which 
reason  could  not  for  a  moment  exist,  any  more  than  a 
house  could  stand  without  a  foundation  ;  and  thus  we 
see,  as  Sir  William  Hamilton  asserts,  that  all  reason- 
ing must  rest  at  last  on  faith  in  authority,  and  that 
faith  does  not  rest  upon  reason,  but  the  reverse. 

All  reasoning,  therefore,  is  the  comparison  of  seem- 
ing authorities,  and  thus  discriminating  more  accu- 
rately the  mere'  specious  and  seeming  from  the  true 
and  eternal.  It  is  the  art  of  weighing  authorities, 
when  they  are  only  probable,'  and  not  absolute';  of 
exploding  the  false,  and  separating  the  truth  from  the 
error  it  contains. 

We  see,  then,  that  all  which  we  call  knowledge, 
even  scientific  knowledge,  is  the  result  of  a  union  of 
the  two,  —  reasoning  and  authority,  —  and  is  brought 
home  to  us  as  certain,  not  through  the  understanding 


240  RELIGION    A    SCIENCE. 

alone,  but  through  the  united  operation  of  the  under- 
standing and  faitli  in  certain  first  principles  which  can- 
not be  proved,  but  are  received  from  some  authority. 
Reasoning  in  science,  without  authorities,  could  never 
conduct  us  to  the  certainty  of  anything. 

To  apply  all  this  now,  first  to  Natural  Religion,  and 
then  to  Revealed,  I  desire  to  show  that  reason  without 
authority  in  Religion  tends  to  Atheism,  while  a  blind 
reverence  for  authority  without  reason  tends  to  super- 
stition. There  is,  indeed,  often  more  superstition  in 
science  than  in  religion. 

1.  Natural  Religion  at  least  must  be  considered,  not 
only  as  a  science,  but  a  pure  science ;  it  belongs  to  the 
real  as  distinct  from  the  formal  sciences,  (which  latter 
are,  in  fact,  simply  forms,  which  the  mind  necessarily 
adopts  in  the  presence  of  reasoning.)  It  stands  at  the 
very  head  of  all  real,  pure  science,  embracing  Natural 
Theology,  and  lying  at  the  foundation  of  morals,  of 
law,  and  of  all  true  politics.  But  while  the  various 
theories  on  all  these  subjects,  show  how  much  erro- 
neous reasoning  may  lead  astray,  yet  it  is  not  so  much 
this  that  produces  mistakes  as  the  want  of  a  clear 
recognition  of  the  authority  of  certain  first  principles, 
upon  which  all  true  reasoning  must  be  founded. 

Dr.  Mansel's  Limitations  of  Religious  thought  ap- 
pears to  me  to  fall  into  just  this  very  error,  or  at 
least  it  is  liable  to  lead  others  into  it.     The  eloquent 


DR.    HEDGE.  241 

Author  of  Reason  in  Religion  even  while  exhibit- 
ing as  his  own  belief  a  most  refreshing  and  emi- 
nently living,  devout  and  worthy  faith^  in  God,  in 
Providence  and  in  prayer,  yet  will  not  begin  the 
the  attempt  to  prove  the  existence  of  a  Supreme 
Being.  He  seems  freely  to  admit  the  futility  of  all 
attempts  to  demonstrate  God  to  the  understanding,  to 
establish  the  fact  of  God-head  by  induction.  He 
concedes  to  the  atheist,  to  the  positivist  the  inadequacy 
of  such  demonstration,  the  inconsequence  of  most  of 
the  reasoning  employed  for  this  end.  This  may  spring 
from  a  certain  reverence  for  Scriptural  and  Church 
authority  in  Dr.  Mansel,  or  [from  the  authority  of  the 
Pure  Reason  in  Dr.  Hedge,  but  it  might  lead  thousands 
to  Atheism ;  for  a  God  who  gave  no  proof  of  his 
existence  to  my  understanding,  would  be  a  Being, 
whose  existence  I  should  have  no  ri^ht  to  recosfnize 
reasonably.  That  is,  it  is  through  the  Understanding 
as  the  medial  faculty  that  Reason  enables  us  to  know 
the  existence  of  a  God. 

It  can  and  must,  therefore,  be  maintained  that  The- 
ology, —  Natural  Theology  is  a  pure  and  perfect  sci- 
ence, that  tlie  knowledge  of  God  thus  taught  is  an 
ever  growing  science,  the  most  perfect  of  all  demonstra- 
tions, and  the  most  excellent,  comprehensive  and 
delightful    of   them  all.     Its    language    and    that    of 

Scripture  coincide.     "Thus    saith    the    Lo/d,  Let    not 
11 


242  PALEY*S 

the  wise  man  glory  in  his  wisdom,  neither  let  the 
mighty  man  glory  in  his  might,  let  not  the  rich  man 
glory  in  his  riches,  but  let  him  that  glorieth,  glory  in 
this  :  that  he  understandeth  and  knoiveth  me,  that  I  am 
the  Lord,  which  exerciseth  loving  kindness  and  judg- 
ment and  righteousness  in  the  earth,  for  in  these  things 
I  delight,  saith  the  Lord." 

It  is  becoming  the  fashion  of  the  day  to  decry  Paley 
and  to  show  what  most  have  long  perceived,  that  all 
his  arguments  from  design,  so  suggestive,  so  lucid  and 
capable  of  being  indefinitely  extended,  prove  nothing 
to  the  man  who  chooses  to  disbelieve  all  his  intuitions. 
But  there  is  no  proving  a  single  truth  of  any  real  science 
to  the  man  who  pursues  such  a  course,  because,  as  we 
have  seen,  all  reasoning  rests  ultimately  upon  the 
authority  of  intuitions.  But  to  one  who  admits  that 
where  we  perceive  marks  of  design,  we  are  so  con- 
stituted that  we  cannot  doubt  the  existence  of  a 
designer,  —  then  all  of  Paley's  arguments  that  there 
are  marks  of  design ;  i.  c.  not  of  adaptedness  but  of 
adaptation  in  the  physical  universe,  forms  a  complete 
proof  through  the  understanding  of  a  personal  God 
though  resting  upon  a  basis  of  the  purest  reasoning. 

And  yet  we  are  asked  to  concede  to  the  Positive 
Philosopher,  the  futility  of  attempts  to  demonstrate 
God  to  the  understanding.  Again  let  us  say,  that 
while    Ihe    vmderstanding    alone,   and   apart   from    the 


NATURAL   THEOLOGY.  243 

authority   of  intuitions,  cannot   demonstrate  the  cxis- 
istence   of  a    God,  yet   it  is  only  because   it   cannot 
demonstrate  any  thing'  else  in  science.     It  is  the  want 
of  a  reverend  and  intuitive  belief  in  causation^  that  is 
the  sole  cause  of  Comte's  Atheism,  the  very  essence  of 
the    Positive    Philosophy,    and    Stuart    Mill   has   well 
shown   that  this  defect   of  his  Philosophy,   this   con- 
fusion of  all  antecedents,  those  which  are  causes,  and 
those  which  are   only  conditions,  renders  it  absolutely 
impossible  scientifically  to  prove  or  to  know  any  tilings 
and  only  enables  us  to  arrange  what  is  already  known. 
But  if  we   only   start  with   the  intuitive  belief  in 
causation,  that  whatever  has  had  a  beginning,  must 
have  had  a  cause,  and  if  the  world  as  it  now  exists,  all 
complicated,  ever  had  a  beginning,  it  must   have   had 
a  cause,  then  through  a  chain  of  antecedents  reason 
will    conduct    all    back    and    back    inevitably    to    a 
first  cause.     And   then   Natural  Theology,  the  knowl- 
edge  of   a   first    cause,   his   personal    existence    and 
attributes  are  demonstrable  by  science,  and   can  only 
fail  of  being  proved  as  such  to  the  man  who  denies 
that  any  thing  can  be  proved  by  induction,  or  denies 
some  other  of  those  intuitions,   necessary  to  the  sci- 
entific knowledge  of  any  real  truth.     Is  any  one  pre- 
pared to    concede    all    this?     Comte's    Philosophy    is 
science  turned  upside  down.     With    Ihe    nio.-^t    lucid 
and  beautiful  method  for  arranging,  teaching  and  ex- 


244  PROF.    MAURICE. 

plaining  science,  after  it  is  once  known,  it  would 
destroy  the  possibility  of  proving,  that  is  of  kiiounng' 
anything.  The  secret  of  his  error  was  a  want  of 
reverence  for  the  Divine  authority  of  intuitions.  What 
had  he  to  put  in  place  of  this  ?  MUls  well  replies,  "  I 
am  ashamed  to  say  Phrenology.''''  This  lack  of  a 
humble  submission  of  the  soul  to  the  proper  authority 
of  these,  and  the  seeking  of  their  fuller,  clearer  reve- 
lation to  the  soul,  is  the  chief  danger  in  regard  to 
Natural  Religion.  With  the  cultivation  of  this,  a 
boundless  field  opens,  and  everlasting  sources  of  new 
knowledge  of  God  and  duty  are  progressively  attain- 
able through  and  of  the  understanding. 

Let  any  one  study  the  history  of  Moral  and  Meta- 
physical Philosophy  among  those  nations  not  favored 
with  the  light  of  revelation,  as  exhibited  by  Professor 
Maurice  in  the  Encyclopedia  Metropolitana,  and  he 
will  see  how  this  sort  of  scientific  knowledge  of  a  per- 
sonal God  was  gradually  educed  through  long  ages, 
and  much  speculation  of  reason  progressively,  until 
first  Anaxagoras,  then  Socrates,  and  then  Platonism 
with  its  lofty  Theism,  gradually  merging  itself  into 
richer  streams  of  Christian  truth,  destroyed  all  other 
philosophy,  and  receiving  baptism,  entered  into  the 
Church,  where  it  has  since  flowed  on  in  the  united  tide 
of  Reason   and   Revelation ;  and  the  Christian   Mono- 


HUME  AND    REN  AN.  245 

theism  is  flowing  onward  at  this  moment  to  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  the  real  basis  of  all  other  science. 

And  now  to  apply  all  this  to  Christianity ;  what  be- 
comes of  Mr.  Hume's  objection  that  it  is  founded  upon 
faith,  and  not  upon  Reasoning  ?  We  may  admit  the 
fact,  and  humbly  accept  and  love  Christianity  just 
because  it  comes  to  us  first  of  all  as  an  authoritative 
revelation.  Jesus  "taught  as  one  having  authority," 
and  not  as  the  scribes.  He  did  not  attempt  to  demon- 
strate anything  by  argumentation,  but  claimed  for  his 
words  the  ;iuthority  of  the  most  simple  enunciations  of 
eternal  truth,  and  first  principles,  which  no  reasoning 
can  make  plainer.  His  words  are  self-evidencing,  and 
the  pure  in  heart  feel  their  authority  by  a  direct  appre- 
ciation, just  as  thoy  thus  "see  God." 

M.  Rcnan,  however,  tells  us  that  Jesus  was  a  won- 
derful rustic  of  glorious  intuitions,  and  who,  if  he  had 
only  had  a  good  philosophical  education,  might  have 
expressed  his  very  profound  views  in  a  way  more  con- 
sistent with  reason  ;  that  it  is  a  sad  pity  he  should 
have  talked  of  God  as  a  personal  Father,  and  of 
Universal  Providence,  when  in  him  first  the  highest 
Deity  yet  developed  woke  to  consciousness.  But  what 
says  Jesus  of  his  own  teachings  ?  "  Heaven  and  earth 
shall  pass  away,  but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away." 
They  are  eternal.  They  afe  Divine.  They  speak  with 
the  authority  of  God  directly  to  the  soul.     They  are  (o 


246  EUCLID. 

be  henceforth  the  axiom  truths  of  all  future  possible 
religion. 

Conceive  Euclid,  after  he  had  finished  his  thirteen 
books,  standing  in  the  court  of  Ptolemy,  and  saying, 
"Kings  and  Emperors  may  rise  and  fall,  Greece  may 
forget  her  glorious  history  and  literature,  and  the  em- 
pire of  the  Ptolemies  shall  crumble,  till  Egypt  is  the 
basest  of  the  kingdoms.  Yea,  it  and  Greece  and 
Rome  shall  all  pass  away,  but  my  words  shall  not  pass 
away,  but  exercise  a  dominion  over  all  coming  time. 
They  are  revelations  of  Formal  Science,-  and  all 
coming  ages  shall  bviild  on  what  I  have  here  wrought. 
And  so  Christianity  comes  to  us,  not  indeed  as  a 
series  of  demonstrations  of  a.  formal  science,  but  as 
the  expression  of  absolute  and  eternal  truths  and  the 
essence  of  all  real  science ;  truths  that  can  never  die, 
because  they  are  final,  and  come  home  to  all  our  hearts 
with  the  authority  of  intuitions,  the  authority  of  God. 
This  is  what  Jesus  meant  when  he  said,  "  Heaven  and 
earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my  words  shall  not  pass 
away." 

But  Christianity  is  all  simple  faith,  and  nothing  more, 
say  some.  It  allows  no  room  for  progress,  no  scope 
for  progress  by  reasoning.  That  view,  however,  is  all 
pietism  but  not  piety.  One  might  as  well  say  that  the 
axioms  of  Euclid  afforded  no  scope  or  basis  for  pro- 
gressive reasoning  or  for  any  future  progi-ess  in  Mathe- 


GROWTH    OF   DOCTRINES.  247 

matics.  Why,  they  are  the  foundations  of  it  all.  And 
so  \vc  may  say  of  Christianity,  it  is  the  fountain  and 
foundation  of  the  world's  progress  practically  in  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  the  morality  of  the  human 
race,  and  its  growth  in  all  real  science.  Look  at  the 
history  of  doctrines  in  the  Church.  Christian  truth  is 
a  growing  thing  in  the  earth,  and  the  reasonings  of  the 
Church  through  ages,  have  led  to  a  more  clear  and  dis- 
criminating knowledge  of  all  its  truths  and  its  morals, 
and  made  that  knowledge  progressively  possible  to 
each  age.  Our  own  civil  war  has  been,  in  fact,  a  great 
ethical  struggle  between  an  antiquated  and  a  progres- 
sive school  of  Christian  thought.  It  all  arose  out  of 
the  Churches,  and  has  succeeded  in  adding  another 
victory  to  growing  Christianity  in  the  Abolition  of  hu- 
man slavery.  And  tims  it  shall  be  till  time  shall  end, 
reason  will  find  its  scope  in  comparing  the  authori- 
tative teachings  of  all  revelations,  and  thus  purify- 
ing Christianity  from  the  misconceptions  of  even 
Christian  men,  and  carrying  it  to  further  practical 
results,  while  reason  in  Natural  Rehgion  is  bringing  to 
light  new  illustrations  of  the  wisdom  and  power  of 
God  from  every  science  and  fact  in  nature. 

Indeed,  I  am  convinced  that  we  shall  all  increasingly 
see  and  feci  that  Natural  and  Revealed  Religion  are 
not  two  antagonistic  systems,  one  resting  on  reason 
alone,  to  tlie  exclusion  of ,  Revelation,  and  the  other  on 


248  NATURE   AND    THE 

Revelation  to  the  exclusion  of  reason.  Rather  is  it 
that  all  the  intuitional  truths  of  Natural  Religion  are 
authoritative  revelations  which  God  has  given  to  be 
developed  and  made  clear  by  jeason,  and  that  all  the 
revelations  of  Christianity,  whether  in  the  Scriptures 
or  through  the  Paraclete,  or  through  history,  or  through 
the  power  of  living  Christianity  in  the  Church,  or 
through  Providence  working  in  national  struggles  like 
ours,  are  authoritative  declarations  of  his  will,  and 
mode  of  governing  the  world.  All  are  comings  of  the 
Son  of  Man,  and  of  his  kingdom  in  the  clouds  with 
power  and  with  great  glory;  —  all  are  means  of  de- 
veloping the  thought,  the  reason^  and  the  progress  of 
mankind  to  work  on  through  the  boundless  future. 

Indeed,  the  distinction  between  the  Natural  and  the 
Supernatural,  though  so  apparent  and  important  so  far 
as  our  weak  powers  of  comprehension  are  concerned, 
must  fade  into  obscurity  and  dimness  until  the  lines 
become  obliterated,  when  we  view  the  revelations  oi 
God,  in  reference  to  his  own  exertions  of  power,  rather 
than  our  knowledge  of  that  power.  For  what  work 
of  God  is  there  in  Nature,  which,  when  looked  at  in- 
tently by  itself  alone,  does  not  become  Divine  and 
swjf?er-natural  to  the  eye  of  man,  —  the  frost  upon  a  win- 
dow-pane, or  the  growth  of  a  tree,  or  the  life  in  man. 
On  the  othiT  hand,  those  wonders  which  we  call 
supernatural    and   most    miraculous,  are  all  natural  to 


SUPERNATURAL.  249 

Him,  all  exeftions  of  powers  easy  and  regular  to 
Omnipotence,  in  harmony  with  the  highest  and  most 
Universal  laws,  and  made  wonderful  to  us  only  by  the 
weakness  of  our  own  minds.  The  water  changed  to 
wine  at  the  word  of  the  Master,  we  call  supernatural, 
but  the  dew  and  the  rain  arc  each  season  chano-incr 
quite  as  wonderfully  to  the  holy  and  contemplative 
soul,  through  absorbtion  into  the  juices  of  the  vine, 
and  formed  after  thorough  fermentation  into  wine. 
Thus  a  higher  and  more  constant  and  observing 
faith  in  God,  sees  miracles  every  ivhere^  in  every 
answer  to  prayer,  in  the  life  and  death  of  every  child, 
in  every  step  of  Providence,  and  in  every  drop  of  dew 
and  flash  of  sunshine,  while  reason  also  afterward 
sees  in  the  same  events,  order,  harmony,  law ;  and  both 
see  truly  and  not  contradictorily.  Thus  by  the  true 
and  proper  relations  of  authority  and  reason,  restored 
through  Christianity  to  the  soul  of  man,  all  religion, 
natural  and  revealed,  becomes  one  harmonious  science, 
by  which  we  sec  and  feel  the  Divine  power  and 
efficiency  every  where  at  work  throughout  the  Uni- 
verse, and  learn  each  our  own  places,  and  duties  and 
destiny. 

It  cannot  be  said  that  views  like  these  necessarily 
cut  at  the  root  of  all  proper  submission  of  the  soul  to 
authority  in  Religion.  They  seem  rather  to  establish 
it  upon   a  true,  solid   basis.     For   the    sources   of  our 


250  KNOWLEDGE   OF 

knowledge  of  religious  truth  correspond  to  those  of  aU 
other  truths,  and  may  thus  be  briefly  expressed  :  God 
is  our  Creator,  and  has  given  us  all  our  powers.  We 
can  only  see  what  He  has  given  us  the  power  to  see. 
He  has  enabled  us  to  learn  many  of  his  thoughts  and 
purposes  and  laws,  as  exhibited  in  the  physical  world, 
in  one  of  the  three  following  ways  : 

1.  By  a  direct,  certain  knowledge,  which  we  call 
sometimes  instinct  or  intuition,  as  that  by  which  a  bird 
knows  how  to  fly,  or  a  fish  to  swim,  or  man  believes  in 
the  uniformity  of  nature. 

2.  In  part  they  are  receive  d  upon  the  authority  of 
others,  such  as  parental  or  traditionary  teaching.  Thus 
it  is  that  we  learn  the  truths  of  history. 

3.  In  part  by  reasoning  or  the  observation  of  se- 
quences. 

In  like  manner,  moral  and  religious  truths  are  made 
known  to  us. 

1.  In  part  through  our  religious  and  moral  intuitions. 

2.  In  part  through  Authority,  such  as  (a.)  Scripture, 
(b.)  the  law  of  the  land,  (c.)  Parental  teachings,  (d.) 
the  voice  of  the  Christian  Church. 

3.  In  part  by  Reasoning,  or  the  observation  of  moral 
sequences,  both  immediate  and  historical. 

Now  the  real  basis,  or  measure  of  authority  for 
believing  anything,  is  the  probability  of  its  truth,  i.  e. 
that  we   perceive  it  as    God    intended  we  should,  our 


THE   CREATOR.  251 

perception  of  it  corresponding  to  his  thought.  The 
authority  of  no  one  source  of  instruction  is  absolute  or 
infallible,  but  rather  progi'essive.  There  are  all  sorts 
of  different  degrees  and  shades  of  authority,  in  propor- 
tion as  confirmed  by  experience.  Even  Mathematical 
truths  have  their  degrees  of  uncertainty,  because,  how- 
ever absolutely  true  in  themselves,  our  minds  are  fallible, 
and  may  err  in  working  them  out,  so  that  we  never 
ffiel  perfectly  sure  from  a  single  calculation  that  the 
result  is  correct.  Can  we  then  say  that  any  instruction 
we  may  draw  from  the  Bible  possesses  absolute  and 
infallible  authority  ?  This  will  not  be  asserted  of  the 
English  Bible,  which  is  only  a  translation ;  and  very 
few  would  declare  their  own  translation  of  the  Hebrew 
and  Greek  infallible.  Much  less  so,  can  be  the 
opinions  of  any  commentator,  learned  or  unlearned,  as 
to  its  meaning.  So  that  to  each  man  in  this  life,  the 
authority  of  what  he  derives  from  Scripture,  can  only 
be  probable,  not  absolute  or  infallible  in  any  case.  In 
questioning  the  absolute  infallibility  of  Scripture  then, 
we  do  not  thereby  destroy  its  practical  authority,  when 
if  its  letter  were  ever  so  perfect,  our  minds  and  under- 
standings of  it  must  necessarily  remain  imperfect. 
Everything  to  us,  must  have  its  own  degree  of  author- 
ity, nor  can  anything  be  practically  infallible,  we  being 
fallible. 

But  if  we  once  admit  any  deviation  from  infallibil- 


252  EXPERIMENTAL   KNOWLEDGE. 

ity,  it  is  asked,  where  shall  we  stop  ?  what  is  certain  ? 
There  is  no  infallibility  in  the  natural  sciences ;  re- 
peated and  careful  experiment  is  there  the  only  basis 
of  any  fair  degree  of  certainty.  No  man  dreams  of 
infallibility  in  any  experimental  knowledge,  yet  suffi- 
cient is  obtained  to  enable  us  practically  to  rely  and 
act  just  as  if  our  knowledge  were  absolute.  There  are 
laws  of  the  expansion  of  steam  and  of  air,  of  winds 
and  storms,  so  imperfectly  known  at  present,  tl^at  the 
most  skilful  mariner  can  only  act  on  the  best  light  in 
each  case,  and  leave  results  with  Providence.  But 
there  are  other  laws  of  winds  and  storms  and  the  ex- 
pansion of  steam  so  well  known,  that  he  relies  on  them 
as  infallible,  and  pledges  the  lives  of  hundreds  daily, 
and  all  most  dear  to  himself,  on  that  practical  knowl- 
edge. It  is  just  so  with  Christian  truths.  Some  of 
these  .we  may  not  be  sure  that  we  rightly  understand  ; 
some  of  the  records  of  the  past  we  may  suppose  to  a 
certain  degree  imperfect  and  fragmentary.  But  on  all 
the  great  vital  matters  of  Christian  faith,  each  step  is 
so  confirmed  by  experience  as  to  leave  the  whole  prac- 
tically infallible  for  our  daily  guidance,  and  there  is 
just  that  measure  of  evidence  which  is  adequate  for  the 
present  stage  of  our  development,  constantly  growing 
upon  us.  This  is  suflicient  in  matters  of  science,  and 
sufficient  for  practical  life  in  everything  else  beside 
religion,  —  why  not  in  it  ?     It  is  all  the  certainty  that 


THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.        '2bS 

the  nature  of  the  human  mind  practically  admits,  and 
it  is  infinitely  better  for  us  than  any  fancied  infallibil- 
ity, which  might  make  us  rest  in  the  letter  of  Scripture, 
instead  of  walking  by  a  perpetual  faith  in  the  guidance 
of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  was  popularly  supposed 
that  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  an  inspired,  and 
therefore  infallible  body.  That  very  belief,  most  of  all, 
corrupted  it.  The  Protestants  destroyed  the  last  part 
of  that  claim  by  setting  against  it  the  Inspired  Scrip- 
tures, which,  on  the  same  grounds,  were  popularly  con- 
sidered infallible  also.  But  there  were  men,  even  then, 
who  perceived  that  the  Bible,  though  inspired,  was  not 
therefore  literally  infallible,  and  the  great  truth  which 
must  finally  re-unite  the  living  Church  of  all  ages  in 
one,  is  the  knowledge  that  both  the  Church  and  the 
Scriptures  are  truly  inspired  of  God,  —  temples  in 
which  he  dwells  and  walks,  —  yet  are  they  not  thereby 
infallible,  but  ever  living  and  growing  bodies  in  the 
power  of  illumination  they  possess  for  the  ages  and 
nations  on  which  they  operate. 


254  THE   CHRISTIAN   IDEA 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE    CHRISTIAN    IDEA    OF    THE.    INSPIRING    SPIRIT- 

WHEN  Jesus  was  about  to  leave  the  world,  he 
promised  to  his  followers  an  Inspiring  Spirit  to 
be  with  them  to  the  end  of  time.  It  was  to  be  their 
monitor,  advocate  and  comforter  in  all  their  perplex- 
ities, and  the  suggesting  "  spirit  of  truth,"  which  was 
to  show  them  more  of  the  counsels  of  the  Father  than 
he  himself  had  unfolded  ;  while  it  brought  back  his 
own  teachings  also  to  their  'remembrance,  and  thus 
inspired  their  writings  as  themselves  with  a  perpetual 
and  accompanying  Divine  presence. 

In  the  Christian  writings,  this  Divine  Spirit  is 
spoken  of  sometimes  simply  as  a  Force  or  Power,  with 
the  mysterious  workings  of  which  we  are  but  little 
acquainted.  "  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and 
thou  hearcst  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell 
whence  it  comcth,  and  whither  it  goeth ;  so  is  every 


OF   THE   INSPIRING   SPIRIT.  255 

one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit.*"  Sometimes  it  is 
spoken  of  as  a  laiv,  —  that  is,  a  power  operating  regu- 
larly, and  with  certain  courses  of  uniform  sequence. 
Paul  speaks  thus  of  "  the  laiu  of  the  spirit  of  life  in 
Christ  Jesus,  making  him  free  from  the  law  of  sin 
and  death,  assurring  us  that  there  are  certain  courses 
that  quench  and  grieve  it,  while  most  fully  it  is  the 
the  Paraclete,  the  gift  of  the  Heavenly  Father  to  his 
children  through  Christ  Jesus. 

The  most  powerful  agents  in  nature  are  the  most 
silent  and  incomprehensible;  —  light,  air,  electricity. 
Indeed,  we  seem  only  just  becoming  acquainted  with 
those  most  potent  forces  of  nature,  by  which  we  are 
yet  momentarily  surrounded. 

As  in  the  physical  world,  so  is  it  in  that  of  spirit. 
How  little  do  we  know  of  the  nature  of  the  soul  that 
animates  our  bodies,  the  spirit  that  worketh  within 
us.  Even  individually,  our  philosophers  from  Plato  to 
Abercrombie  philosophize  at  utmost  on  the  dispositions 
of  the  individual,  but  how  little  has  been  thought  of 
those  more  collective,  spiritual  forces  by  which  minds 
operate  on  each  other.  The  power  of  sympathy,  the 
force  of  public  opinion,  and  of  social  excitements  are 
some  of  these.  We  are  then  surrounded  by  spiritual 
forces  operating  on  us,  and  we  in  turn  on  them,  and 
are  moved  above  all  as  Christianity  and  experience  teach, 
*  John  3 :  S. 


256  THE   PARACLETE. 

by  one  great  Animating  Spirit,  whose  influence  upon 
us  is  exhibited  by  several  most  remarkable  figures  or 
symbols. 

But  the  gospel  of  John  preserves  to  us  the  record  of 
a  promise  that  can  hardly  be  called  a  figure,  the  prom- 
ise of  the  Comforter ;  the  Paraclete,  a  term  used  by 
him  alone,  either  in  regard  to  the  Saviour  or  to  the 
Holy  Spirit.  For  when  Jesus  is  recorded  as  say- 
ing, "  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  will  send  you 
another  Paraclete,"  it  implies  that  he  is  one,  the  first, 
and  typical  representative  of  the  idea.  In  the  First 
Epistle  of  John,  this  is  distinctly  declared.  "  If  any 
man  sin,  we  have  an  Advocate  [literally  a  Paraclete,] 
with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous."  A  pas- 
sage like  this  will  perhaps  best  show  the  difficulty  of 
rightly  expressing  in  any  one  English  form  of  ex- 
pression, what  is  said  of  that/ other  Paraclete,'  usually 
called  by  us  the  Comforter. 

The  promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is,  as  we  have  seen, 
common  to  all  the  Evangelists  and  the  Epistles,  but 
that  this  Spirit  is  the  Paraclete  and  is  that  other 
Paraclete  capable  of  even  more  than  supplying  tlie 
personal  ministry  of  Jesus  Christ  on  earth,  is  the  asser- 
tion exclusively  of  St.  John. 

To  find  any  ojic  other  term  that  shall  fairly  and 
fully  express  the  meaning  of  the  Greek  7t(iQaxXr,Toz,  has 
been  the  unsuccessful  clTort  of  eighteen  hundred  years. 


PARACLETE.  257 

In  the  Vulgate,  Jerome  seems  to  have  given  up  the 
task  in  despair,  and  used  the  transferred  word  Paracle- 
tus,  substantially  retained  to  this  day  in  the  Douay. 
But  Jerome  only  complied  with  the  usage  of  still  older 
versions,  and  the  Latin  Fathers,  from  Tertullian  at 
least,  do  the  same.  Even  the  first  of  all  versions  the 
Peshito  Syriac  has  not  ventured  to  translate,  but  only 
to  transfer  the  origiiTal  term.  Indeed,  the  Rabbins 
have  done  the  same  thing.  No  other  tongue  has  any 
single  word  that  can  fully  express  all  that  is  conveyed 
in  this  term,  as  the  note  below  will  show.* 

*  Etymologically  the  word  naQanhfiog  from  the  verb  Ttanunah'a), 
would  mean  one  called  to  stand  beside  and  ilicrrfore  to  aid  anotlier. 
The  Taraclete  would  be  in  this  view,  simply  an  aidov  assistant,  one  per- 
haps waiting  to  be  called  upon  for  his  aid,  before  it  is  granted.  In 
classic  usuagc,  from  the  time  of  Demosthenes,  at  least,  this  term  and 
the  verb  from  which  it  was  taken,  seeni  to  have  been  often  used  in  a 
special  sense,  for  the  summoning  of  a  man's  friends  to  attend  his  trial. 
Hence  a /3arac/cte  was  a  "helper,"  an  "encourager"  of  the  tried  and 
persecuted,  and  at  last  technically,  an  official  advocate  or  counsellor  in 
a  court  of  justice.  Something  like  this  has  been  the  view  taken  by  the 
early  Latin  Church  generally,  as  Archdeacon  Hare  has  well  remarked, 
so  that  it  is  by  them  commonly  translated  "Advocatus."  I  will  send 
you  another  Advocate.  But  the  inadequacy  of  this,  as  a  full  English 
translation,  has  been  well  exposed  by  Campbell.  The  advocate  pleads 
only  in  presence  of  the  Judge,  and  defends  his  client's  cause  often  in  his 
absence.  No  doubt  this  is  very  much  the  meaning  of  the  term,  as  ap- 
plied in  that  only  other  New  Testament  passage  in  which  it  is  used. 
"If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  Adcocaic  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ." 
And  so  Le  Clcrc,  and  so  Knapp  in  modern  times,  have  most  erroneously 


258  MEANING    OF   THE   TERM. 

And  perhaps  some  are  almost  ready  to  turn  back  to 
the   method  adopted  by  the   Rabbins  and  the   Latin 

rendered  it  in  John's  Gospel.  Grotius  goes  still  further,  —  "  I  will  send 
you  another  orator." 

Another  rendering  therefore,  has  been  suggested,  which  however,  is 
no  nearer  comprehending  all  that  the  original  suggests.  Theodore  of 
Mopsuesta,  was  perhaps  the  first  who  suggested  that  "  Teacher "  was 
the  true  sense,  and  even  the  judicious  Campbell  translates  it  "  monitor," 
"prompter,"  because  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  is  withhi  a  man's  own 
soul,  and  not  externally  on  his  behalf  And  if  indeed  the  aid  of  the 
Spirit  were  only  negative,  hke  that  of  the  demon  of  Socrates,  and  irot 
positive,  — or  only  instructing  the  intellect,  but  not  persuading  the  will, 
or  quickening  the  affections,  then  "  monitor  "  or  "  teacher  "  might  do. 
But  these  terms  are  evidently  inadequate. 

Far  nearer  to  the  true  sense  would  be  that  of  Counsellor,  such  as 
Knapp  has  well  shown,  that  the  Advocates  anciently  were.  Not  so 
much  pleading  in  courtyor  the  man  under  trial,  but  standing  beside  him 
to  counsel  and  prompt  and  show  him  how  best  to  win  his  own  cause. 
Yet  it  may  be  doubted  if  even  this  gives  us  the  full  view  of  that  won- 
derful promise.     "  I  will  send  you  another  Paraclete." 

To  gather  the  complete  sense,  we  must  look,  not  so  much  at  the 
Classical,  as  the  Hellenistic  and  Ecclesiastical  usuage  and  developments 
of  tins  term.  The  Hellenistic  writers  give  a  irarmer  sense,  especially  to 
the  verb.  With  them,  it  signifies  "  to  console,"  "  to  soothe,"  "  to  en- 
courage," and  even  the  Rabbins  seem  to  have  transferred  this  term  in 
much  this  sense,  as  Tholuck  has  shown.  In  Job  16  :  2,  the  Septuagint 
has  irapaicTiTiTop,  and  the  version  of  Aquilla,  made  about  A.  D.  200,  has 
the  very  term  of  our  text  "  miserable  comforters  are  ye  all." 

Accordingly,  nearly  all  the  Eastern  Church,  as  Dr.  Hare  shows  from 
Origen  downwards,  give  consolator,  comforter,  for  the  sense  of  the  term 
as  here  used.  And  lience  at  the  Keformation,  when  the  Spirit  was 
poured  out  anew,  Luther,  Tyndalc,  and  our  Enghsh  translators  so  ren- 


TRANSLATING   THE   WORD.  259 

Fathers,  and  transfer  the  words  of  the  promise,  con- 
fessing that  in  its  fullness,  it  is  untranslatable.  But 
this  only  confesses  the  difficulty,  without  even  attempt- 
ing to  remove  it.  Nor  is  such  a  practice  without 
injury,  as  Archdeacon  Hare  remarks,  "  as  it  not  only 
obscures  our  perception  of  the  word  thus  imported,  but 
by  severing  it  from  its  etymological  associations,  de- 
prives it  of  a  portion  of  its  power."  Or  if  to  Anglicise 
a  Greek  term,  may  make  it  more  truly  comprehended 
by  a  Greek  scholar,  it  must  make  it  harder  to  be 
understood  by  the  people  generally.  I  do  not  believe 
that  we  thoroughly  understand  anything,  until  we  can 
intelligibly  express  it. 

The  difficulty  of  translating  the  word  arises  from  its 
comprehensiveness.  Instead,  therefore,  of  restricting 
ourselves  to  any  one  word,  let  us  define  it  in  as  many 
words  as  may  be  necessary  to  the  idea  intended  to 
be  expressed.  The  Paraclete  is  "  one  called  in  to  ad- 
minister spiritual  aid."  In  I  John  2 :  1,  this  aid  is 
advocacy  with  a  third  party,  as  we  have  seen.  "  If 
any  man  sin,  we  have   an  advocate,  a  Paraclete,  with 

dered  it  in  the  fourteenth  and  sixteentli  of  John.  Yet  against  this  term 
it  has  been  justly  remarked  by  Campbell,  that  "  the  part  of  a  Comforter, 
is  in  its  nature  merely  occasional  for  a  time  of  affliction,  whereas  that  of 
monitor,  instructor,  guide,  is  to  imperfect  creatures  like  us,  always  need- 
ful and  important.  "  lie  will  teach  you  all  things,  and  remind  you  of 
all  I  have  told  you." 


260  WYCLIFFE   AND   TYNDALE. 

the  Father."  But  in  the  promise  of  Christ  to  his 
disiples  on  parting  with  them,  it  is  a  spiritual  and 
internal  aid  more  directly  to  the  soul  itself;  and  hence 
it  has  been  so  variously  rendered  Teacher,  Monitor, 
Consoler,  Comforter. 

The  work  of,  the  Paraclete  is  not  to  plead  for  the 
disciple  against  outside  parties,  but  internally  to  assist 
his  own  soul,  by  supplying  all  that  can  strengthen  it 
in  itself.  This  is  what  Jesus  had  done  while  with 
his  followers,  and  what  that  other  Paraclete  was  now 
to  do. 

The  term  "comfort"  in  its  modern  sense  is  not 
by  any  means  comprehensive  enough  for  this  broad 
promise.  But  the  fact  is  that  our  English  word  com- 
fort itself  has  changed  its  meaning  since  Wyclifi'e  and 
Tyndale  first  introduced  this  rendering  into  the  English 
tongue. 

Our  verb  "to  comfort"  is  taken  from  the  Latin  of 
the  Vulgate,  confortare.  It  used  sometimes  to  be  writ- 
ten in  English  as  in  French  confort,  and  was  then 
applied  according  to  its  strictest  etymology,  from  con 
and  fortis,  to  make  strong  by  communion,  as  Hare 
shows. 

The  Comforter,  in  this  view,  is  one  who  binds  the 
soul  of  man  together,  so  as  to  make  it  inwardly  strong. 
The  Paraclete  is  this  Comforter,  not  so  much  in  the 
sense  of  making  us  happy  in  feeling;  as  possessed  of 


DE.   JOHNSON.  261 

that  soul  strength  which  prompts  to  duty,  and  through 
self  conquest,  makes  the  victory  over  outside  difficul- 
ties easy  and  delightful.  Dr.  Johnson  utters  in  the 
Rambler,  a  thought  most  pertinent  here,  that  consola- 
tion and  comfort  are  words  which  signify  "  rather  an 
augmentation  of  the  power  of  bearing-  trial,  than  a 
diminution  of  the  burden." 

But  our  modern  English  word  comfort,  gives  to  the 
ordinary  reader,  but  a  very  inadequate  idea  of  this 
strengthening  energy,  which  quickens  and  thus  inwardly 
aids,  included  in  that  promise  of  another  Paraclete,  to 
administer  spiritual  and  universal  strength^  in  what- 
soever way  it  is  needed. 

The  term  Paraclete  to  be  rightly  understood,  must 
embrace  nearly  all  these  more  specific  uses  of  it,  that 
we  have  discussed.  It  is  the  "  comforter,"  not  merely 
as  making  happy  but  strong,  and  full  of  holy  conscious 
poiver,  and  therefore  rid  of  all  uneasiness,  self-pos- 
sessed and  hence  happy.  It  is  the  "  teacher,"  or  "  mon- 
itor," but  not  a  merely  intellectual  teacher,  a  guiding 
and  guardian  Spirit,  as  Calvin  well  shows,  making 
wise  in  mind  through  the  proper  poise  of  the  affections. 
It  is  the  "  counsellors^  the  friend  whose  aid  may  be 
called  in  upon  every  trial,  or  any  emergency,  with  the 
certainty  of  success. 

It  is,  indeed,  the  "  Inspirer  "  of  the  Church.  Tho- 
luck  well  says,  "  many  resolve  the  promise  of  Christ  in 


262  THE   INSPIRING    SPIRIT 

regard  to  the  Paraclete  into  that  of  religious  inspira- 
tion. The  Spii-it  of  God  never  comes  without  a 
religious  inspiration  and  elevation,  but  he  enters  into 
the  heart  of  the  believer  in  such  "  inspiration,"  yet  even 
because  He  is  in  it,  this  religious  inspiration  is  different 
from  all  others." 

The  Paraclete  is  then  most  completely  an  Inspiring 
Spirit  dwelling  in  the  believer  in  Jesus,  and  supplying 
his  personal  presence  and  work  on  earth,  uniting  the 
whole  Church  into  one  living  energetic  and  Divinely 
guided  body  to  the  end  of  time.  Such  is  the  Para- 
clete. When  Socrates  stood  before  his  judges,  in  the 
most  solemn  moment  of  his  life,  tried  and  condemed 
for  introducing  a  new  Divinity,  he  answered  his  accu- 
sers, that  a  guardian  spirit  was  ever  accustomed  to 
admonish  him  when  he  was  about  to  do  anything 
improper,  that  it  was  his  daily  monitor,  and  that  as 
that  morning,  when  about  to  leave  home,  it  had  not 
warned  him,  he  felt  sure  he  was  acting  rightly,  and 
they  wrongly.  The  fact  is,  account  for  it  as  we  may, 
the  best  and  wisest  men  of  all  ages,  have  ever  believed, 
because  they  hSve  felt  within  them,  the  guiding  pres- 
ence of  the  Divine  Spirit,  felt  and  owned  its  power  as 
another  spirit,  another  self,  working  within  their  spirits, 
not  a  mere  influence,  but  a  guiding  presence. 

Shall  we  then  say  that  this  promised  Paraclete  has 
been    the   possession    of  the    good    men    of  all    ages? 


OF   THE   PARACLETE.  263 

That  the  Spirit  of  God  guided  the  Old  Testament 
saints,  David  declares.  But  not  in  that  new  living 
character  and  power,  here  declared  as  the  peculiar 
guide  of  the  believers  in  Jesus ;  not  as  the  Paraclete, 
the  Holy  Spirit  that  inspires,  quickens,  consoles,  and 
gives  life,  energy  and  guidance  to  the  renewed  and  re- 
deemed, walking  in  th(^  steps  of  the  Master. 

The  Monitor  of  Socrates,  which  he  professed  to  hear 
from  childhood,  of  which  he  was  accustomed  to  speak 
familiarly,  and  to  obey  implicitly,  always  operated,  he 
says,  in  the  way  of  resti'aint,  never  of  instigation. 
And  even  David,  when  he  prays  God  not  to  take  his 
Holy  Spirit  from  him,  expresses  no  such  positive  con- 
conceptions  of  the  Spirit  as  Jesus  promises  to  his 
followers,  who  after  faith  in  Him  are  sealed  with  that 
Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  the  Comforter,  which  is  the 
earnest  here  below  of  our  inheritance  above.  This 
Paraclete  is  to  abide  with  the  Church  forever,  and 
guide  all  its  members  individually,  and  still  more  to 
guide  the  onward  movements  of  that  Church  collectively. 

Sometimes  the  power  of  this  Spirit  is  compared,  as 
we  have  seen,  to  the  ivind,  in  respect  to  the  mystery  of 
its  origin,  and  the  power  of  its  workings  and  effects. 
What  so  viewless,  so  noiseless,  so  seemingly  causeless 
and  mysterious,  as  the  gentle  first  rising  pulses  of  air? 
Yet  what  so  powerful  and  exhaustless  as  the  wind, 
that  raises  the  swellins:  and  resistless  billows  or  bears 


264  THE   POWER    OF    THIS    SPIRIT. 

whole  navies  across  the  ocean,  age  after  age,  unwearied 
of  its  toil  ?  The  subject  of  an  equally  mysterious  and 
powerful  influence  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the 
Spirit.  Socially,  again,  it  is  compared  to  a  baptism 
of  fire,  or  a  tongue  of  flame,  in  its  animating,  warming 
influence  on  Christian  character,  purifying  all  that  is 
true,  and  also  consuming  the  di^ss. 

Yet  the  gentle,  brooding,  affectionate  dove  of  Pales- 
tine, with  its  delicate  hues,  but  easily  repelled  pres- 
ence, is  its  favorite  symbol.  That  is  given  as  the  mes- 
senger bird  of  the  Spirit.  As  the  anointing'  oil  of  the 
sons  of  Aaron  spread  an  invisible  and  unique  fra- 
grance around  the  consecrated  High  Priest,  envelop- 
ing his  presence  in  a  peculiar  atmosphere,  so  does  the 
Spirit  throw  an  unseen  but  heavenly  influence  around 
the  true  Christian.  "  Ye  have  an  unction  from  the 
Holy  One,  and  know  all  things,"  says  St.  John. 

As  a  seal  aflixes  an  image  and  ratifies  and  confirms 
all  promises,  so  the  spiritual  are  represented  as  "  sealed 
with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise  which  is  the  earnest  of 
their  inheritance."  It  puts  the  stamp  of  God  upon  the 
brow  of  the  Christian,  impressing  the  intellect,  heart 
and  life  with  its  divine  character  and  image;  the  intel- 
ledt  in  the  convictions  it  inspires,  the  heart  in  the  con- 
version it  induces,  and  the  life  in  the  conformity  that 
follows.     And    as   an    earnest,  or  a  small   portion  of 


THE  MENNONITES.  265 

wages  given  in  advance,  so  is  this  spirit  a  foretaste  of 
heaven,  —  heaven  itself  begun  below. 

Mosheim  says,  in  his  history  of  the  Mennonites, 
that  they  make  but  little  account  of  human  creeds, 
because  they  base  everything  on  the  spiritual  enlighten- 
ment of  the  Holy  Spirit.  No  doubt  many  of  all  ages, 
and  all  sects,  have  mistaken  the  working  of  their  own 
spirits,  for  the  teachings  of  the  Heavenly  Comforter 
and  guide,  and  doing  so,  have  become  fanatics.  But 
after  all,  the  most  pernicious  evil  that  could  happen  to 
a  church,  or  a  Christian,  is  the  losing  faith  in  that  ever 
living  presence.  And  in  this  age  of  controversy  and 
perplexity,  the  words  of  this  last  promise  of  Jesus,  the 
promise  of  a  Paraclete,  should  be  our  comfort  and  our 
stay.  It  will  give  a  heavenly  instinct,  a  fineness  and 
discrimination  of  spirit,  that  will  lead  us  through  the 
most  complicated  mazes  of  error,  however  specious. 
It  will  form  a  perpetual  Providence.  In  all  the  trials 
and  temptations,  and  struggles  towards  the  light  of 
truth,  let  not  ambition  guide  the  Christian,  nor  love  of 
ease,  nor  of  fame,  nor  pride  nor  indignation  against 
wrong  and  ingratitude.  But  if  he  seek  and  expect  the 
guidance  of  the  Paraclete,  the  counsellor  as  well  as  the 
comforter  of  the  Church,  he  will  find  it.  He  has  a 
right  to  seek  for  and  expect  its  holy  and  perpetual  In- 
spiration.    The  Church  is  and  was  ever  intended  to  be 

an    inspired    body,   and     in   the    earliest    and    purest 
12 


266  THE   CHURCH   AN   INSPIRED 

periods  of  Church  history,  this  was  the  full  faith,  one 
that  modern  Christians  have  strangely  lost.  And  ever 
present  Divine  aid  must  be,  as  Christians,  our  faith 
and  hope  and  expectation.  Not  that  we  are  to  sup- 
pose and  to  act  with  the  conceit  of  any  personal  or 
official  infallibility,  such  as  the  ministers  of  Romanism 
have  ignorantly  and  haughtily  assumed.  St.  Paul 
declares  even  of  himself,  "  We  have  this  treasure  in 
earthen  vessels,  that  the  excellency  of  the  power  may 
be  of  God,  and  not  of  us."  Inspiration  and  infalli- 
bility are  two  distinct  ideas.  The  inspiration  of  the 
Paraclete  is  indeed  infallible  in  its  own  abstract  nature, 
its  Divine  element.  But  it  will  prove  such  to  us,  on 
each  occasion  only  in  proportion  as  it  is  sought  for  or 
called  to  our  aid,  as  its  name  essentially  signifies.  Yet 
notwithstanding  all  our  infirmities,  it  shall  in  its  opera- 
tion, be  sufficient  for  all  practical  utility.  That  which 
supplies  the  highest  and  best  wisdom  we  can  possibly 
obtain  at  the  proper  hour  of  action,  is,  and  ought  to  be 
for  all  practical  purposes  of  guidance,  the  same  as 
infallible  in  its  effects  on  our  conduct.  We  may  rely 
upon  it,  therefore,  thus,  and  this  will  be  our  comfort, 
in  going  forth  as  sheep  among  wolves,  that  in  every 
exigency,  we  shall  receive  words  and  wisdom,  and  a 
guidance  for  the  hour,  a  practical  and  holy  inspira- 
tion ;  not  such  as  shall  supercede  the  hardest  mental 


AND    GROWING    BODY.  267 

labor  and  thought,  or  more  especially  prayer  and 
study,  but  through  them  «//,  shall  guide  us  to  the 
wisdom  of  the  most  proper  course  and  word  for  each 
occasion. 

The  promise  of  Inspiration  is  no  more  and  no  less 
now,  than  when  extended  to  the  canonical  writings 
of  the  Church  of  the  living  God,  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
Their  Inspiration  was  the  divine  and  strengthening 
power,  giving  energy  to  those  who  wrote  those  words 
of  comfort  and  strength  for  all  ages  yet  to  come, 
through  the  spiritual  strength  and  comfort  that  was 
in  the  writers.  They  wrote  truths  eternal,  even  when 
relating  the  history  of  things  temporal,  for  their  minds 
were  fixed  only  on  the  eternal  principles,  which  guided 
the  temporary  forms  of  outward  events,  and  wrought 
them  out  of  the  eternal  substance  of  inherent  realities. 
It  is  an  Inspiration  exciting  and  requiring  a  correspon- 
ding inspiration  in  the  heart  of  the  reader  to  interpret 
it  rightly  and  fully. 

The  venerable  Wilberforce  used  to  say  that  as  there 
were  probably  "  stars  of  which  the  light,  though  al- 
ways travelling  on  its  course,  had  not  yet  reached  us." 
And  he  thought  it  might  be  somewhat  like  this  with  the 
light  of  the  blessed  gospel.  He  acted  on  that  faith  in 
commencing  his  attacks  on  the  slave  trade,  and  devel- 
oped truths  of  Christianity  that  arc  now  changing  the 


268  CHRISTIAN    DEVELOPMENT. 

whole  world,  and  becoming  the  advancing  light  of  this 
age  of  the  church.  Church  history  is  a  living,  pro- 
gressive development  and  application  of  the  teachings 
of   Christ  through  the  Paraclete. 


NEW  TESTAMENT   DOCUMENTS.  269 


CHAPTER    X. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  DOCUMENTS. 

THE  most  prominent  writer  of  the  New  Testament 
is  the  Apostle  Paul.  Ilis  writings  are  the  key  and 
clue  to  all  the  rest.  Nothing  in  regard  to  ancient 
literature  is  easier  or  more  certain  than  the-  process  by 
which  we  can  trace  back  some  of  his  Epistles  to  his 
own  hand  or  dictation,  and  through  such  means,  iden- 
tify his  style  and  individuality.  Historically  we  can 
go  back  and  back,  until  we  find  the  Church  at  Rome 
tiirough  Clement,  Paul's  fellow  laborer,  somewhere  in 
the  reign  of  Domitian,  which  extended  from  A.  D.  81 
to  96,  wnriting  an  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,*  and  say- 
ing, "  Take  the  Epistle  of  the  blessed  Paul  the  Apos- 
tle into  your  hands.  What  was  it  that  he  wrote  to 
you  at   his  first  preaching  the    Gospel   among  you? 

*  For  one  of  the  best  reviews  of  the  whole  literary  question  as  to 
Clement's  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  see  Donaldson's  Critical 
History  of  Literature  and  Doctrine,  Vol.  I,  Chap.  2. 


270  PAUL'S   EPISTLES 

Verily  he  did  by  the  Spirit,  admonish  you  concerning 
himself  and  Cephas  and  Apollos,  because  that  even 
then,  ye  had  begun  to  fall  into  parties  and  factions 
among  yourselves."  Here  at  least  we  have  one  who 
had  known  the  Apostle,  identifying  I  Cor.  1 :  12,  as 
part  of  a  first  Epistle  written  by  St.  Paul  to  the  very 
men  to  whom  he  was  writing.  These  two  Epistles  to 
the  Corinthians,  that  to  the  Romans,  and  that  to  the 
Galatians,  even  Bauer,  one  of  the  most  extreme  of  the 
doubting  school,  cannot  and  does  not  call  in  question. 
And  with  these  once  admitted  as  genuine,  it  inevita- 
bly follows,  that  before  A.  D.  60,  that  is  to  say,  within 
one  generation  of  the  death  of  Jesus,  all  the  important 
facts  and  doctrines  of  Christianity,  much  as  we  now 
have  them  in  the  four  Evangelists  and  the  Epistles, 
were  not  only  taught  by  St.  Paul,  but  believed  by  all 
the  Christian  Churches  scattered  through  Palestine  and 
Asia  Minor.  They  were  catechized  into  them,  and 
baptized  into  them; — Rom.  6:  1-5;  I  Cor.  15:  1-11. 
There  is  not  a  New  Testament  doctrine,  nor  any  fact 
of  the  slightest  importance,  but  what  can  be  shown  to 
have  been  held  by  the  great  body  of  Christians  then  in 
substance  as  they  are  taught  us  by  the  rest  of  the  New 
Testament  now.  There  were  some  who  doubted  or 
denied  Paul's  Apostleship,  some  who  were  opposed  to 
relaxing  from  the  letter  of  Judaism  also,  some  with 
strong  Ebionitish  or  humanitarian  tendencies,  but  none 


AND    THE   ACTS.  271 

before  whom  these  facts  and  doctrines  had  not  been 
spread  by  Paul  and  his  companions,  as  the  authentic 
teachings  of  the  Christian  Church,  so  far  as  his  influ- 
ence "and  authority  would  carry  them. 

There  is  another  book  that  must  have  been  wi'itten 
substantially,  if  not  precisely  as  we  have  it  now,  some- 
where between  the  years  A.  D.  63  and  68,  (that  is  still 
within  about  a  generation  of  the  crucifixion,)  i.  e.  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles.  It  is  written  clearly  to  show 
historically  the  spread  of  St.  Paul's  doctrine  of  the  en- 
trance of  the  Gentiles  into  the  Christian  Church,  as 
equals  with  the  Hebrews  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
without  going  through  the  initiatory  rite  of  circumci- 
sion, or  undertaking  to  keep  the  ceremonial  law.  It 
may  not,  as  De  Wette  suggested,  have  been  edited  out 
in  precisely  its  present  form  until  later.  But  if  so,  it 
was  edited  from  pre-existing  and  most  authentic  manu- 
scripts and  journals,  so  far  at  least  as  the  accounts  of 
Paul's  journeys  are  concerned,  edited  with  so  little 
alteration  from  the  contemporary  documents,  that  even 
the  first  personal  pronoun  is  left  standing  just  where  it 
was,  as  in  Acts  16:  10,  11,  13,  15;  20:  13;  21 :  15-18; 
27:  1-37;  28:  1,  to  the  end.  This  book  is  for  all 
our  purposes,  therefore,  a  contemporary  document, 
and  shows  that  the  chief  facts  of  the  gospel  were 
taught  and  believed  by  St.  Paul,  and  by  the  early 
Christian    churches,    especially   of   the    Gentiles,   very 


272  THE    ACTS 

much  as  we  have  them  now,  in  the  four  gospels  at  that 
early  date.  We  thus  know  substantially,  apart  from 
the  four  gospels,  that  the  facts  in  which  they  all  agree, 
were  believed  and  attested  most  solemnly  by  the  prim- 
itive churches,  planted  by  the  Apostles  and  the  evange- 
lists. Whenever  they  were  put  to  paper,  (we  speak 
now  particularly  of  the  first  three,)  they  are  chiefly  but 
the  writing  out  of  an  oral  or  mother  gospel,  already 
formed  and  preached  and  believed  everywhere  in 
Palestine,  in  Asia  Minor,  and  even  in  Rome.  Tacitus, 
born  in  Rome,  and  from  ten  to  fifteen  years  of  age, at 
the  time  of  Paul's  residence  there,  was  clearly  familiar 
with  the  substantial  facts  of  them,  and  probably  had 
seen  some  written  document,  when  he  wrote  his  An- 
nals. 

How  far  we  may  rely  on  the  Acts,  as  written  by 
Luke,  just  in  its  present  form,  is  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting questions  of  Biblical  Criticism.  It  would 
almost  seem  impossible  that  the  author  should  have 
known  of  the  death  of  St.  Paul  and  not  brought  his 
biography  to  a  regular  close.  This  history  which 
begins  with  so  carefully  a  composed  exordium,  yet 
leaves  Paul  bound  and  in  prison.  "  The  ground  of  this 
silence  lay  (De  Wette  says,)  in  the  work  from  which 
the  Editor  drew."  He  finds  possible  allusiojis  to  it  in 
Ignatius,  Polycarp,  Justin's  dialogue  with  Trypho,  and 


QUOTED    BY   CLEMENT.  273 

Tatian,  but  no  direct  quotation  before  Irenajus*  But 
in  Clement's  Epistle,  A.  D.  96,  there  are  two  passages, 
which,  especially  when  put  together,  leave,  I  think,  no 
doubt  that  Clement  had  seen  the  latter  part  of  the  Acts, 
either  in  its  edited  or  unedited  state.  Near  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Epistle,  he  says,  "  Ye  were  all  of  you 
humble  minded,  not  boasting  of  anything,  desiring 
rather  to  be '  subject  than  to  govern,  to  give  than  to 
received  If  this  passage  had  stood  alone,  it  might 
have  been  considered  as  one  of  those  doubtful  allu- 
sions, of  which  but  little  could  be  made,  although 
there  seems  to  be  here  a  sort  of  partial  reference  to 
Acts  20:  35.  "Remembering  the  words  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  how  he  said,  '  it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than 
to  receive.' "  This  is  the  only  well  authenticated  say- 
ing of  Jesus  Christ  handed  down  to  us  through  any 
other  channel  than  the  four  gospels.  It  would  seem, 
therefore,  from  the  way  in  which  it  is  brought  for- 
ward, to  have  been  so  currently  repeated  in  the  ears 
of  the  early  Christians,  that  it  would  have  been  dan- 
gerous on  the  authority  alone  of  such  an  allusion,  to 
have  pronounced  certainly,  that  Clement  had  seen  the 
book  of  the  Acts,  from  which  it  appears  to  have  been 
taken.  But  in  the  latter  part  of  this  same  epistle  of 
Clement,  we  have  in  connection  with  another  saying 
of  Christ's  from  the  gospels,  this  passage,  ^^Remem- 
*  Introduction  to  New  Test.  114-117,  Sec. 


274  THE   ACTS. 

bering  the  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  how  he  said, 
Woe  to  that  man  by  whom  the  offense  cometh."  Here 
we  have,  I  think,  a  clear  case  of  the  insertion  of  the 
two  halves  of  Acts  20 :  35,  in  such  different  connec- 
tions, as  best  shows  a  familiarity  with  not  only  the 
sentence  of  Jesus,  but  with  this  quotation  of  it  by  the 
writer  of  the  Acts,  which  can  only  be  fairly  accounted 
for,  by  supposing  the  book  in  current  and  familiar  use, 
just  as  we  have  it  now.  Either  that,  or  the  document 
thought  to  be  its  source,  must  have  been  in  Clement'^ 
hands,  not  as  a  mere  private  journal,  but  as  a  classic  or 
canonical  book.  It  is  alluded  to  in  these  passages, 
with  just  that  familiarity,  without  excessive  freedom, 
that  sort  of  love  and  reverence  for  its  authority,  which 
so  often  marks  the  best  of  the  Fathers  in  their  use  of 
the  writings  of  the  New  Testament. 

But  if  this  is  so,  then  have  we  cither  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  or  a  document  that  formed  the  foundation  of 
it,  in  established  circulation  at  Rome,  before  the  close 
of  the  first  century,  containing  a  life  of  St.  Paul  brought 
to  just  that  point  which  shows  it  to  have  been  com- 
pleted between  A.  D.  03  and  A.  D.  68. 

And  the  book  of  Acts  alludes  to  the  third  gospel 
(Luke's)  as  '■'■  a  former  Epistle,"  and  therefore  might 
seem  to  show  as  early  a  date  for  that  gospel  in  its 
present  form  as  any  have  ever  thought  possible  to 
claim  for  it,  i.  e.  prcfty  certainly  before   the  death  of 


MARK.  275 

St.  Paul,  —  say  A.  D.  68,  —  and  therefore  at  least  two 
years  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.* 

There  are  internal  marks,  such  as  the  more  close  and 
bare  adherence  to  the  Synoptical  basis,  which  have 
made  Schenkel  seek  to  place  Mark  as  the  first  writer 
of  all  the  gospels.  But,  without  being  first  penned, 
Mark's  gospel  may  have  confined  itself  most  closely  to 
the  Synopsis.  A  much  more  conclusive  test  would 
seem  to  be  the  proportion  of  the  quotations  and  allu- 
sions in  the  earliest  of  the  Fathers.  Any  one  who 
examines  this  test,  will,  I  think,  be  convinced  that 
Matthew's  gospel  was  very  decidedly  the  first  to  come 
into  general  use  and  acceptance  among  the  Churches, 
that  is,  it  is  far  more  frequently  and  freely  alluded  to 
and  quoted  by  the  earliest  Fathers.  Mark,  I  think, 
would  seem  to  stand  second,  and  Luke  third.  This 
agrees  best  also  with  all  the  traditions.     It  is  to  this 

*  The  above  used  to  appear  to  mo  absolutely  decisive,  that  Luke's 
gospel  was  written  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  that  the 
Acts,  as  we  now  have  it,  was  also  written  before  St.  Paul's  death.  I  con-  • 
fess  however,  now  that  Luke  11 :  51 ;  and  Matthew  23  :  35,  would 
seem  to  show  that  both  Luke  and  Matthew  embraced  the  use  of  a  sy- 
noptical gospel  not  fully  formed  until  some  time  after  A.  D.  G'J,  when 
if  Joscphus  is  to  be  relied  on,  Zacharias  the  son  of  Baruck  was  slain. 
(See  Wars  of  the  Jews,  IV  :  5,  4.)  If  so  the  Preface  to  the  Acts  and 
Luke  are  the  work  of  a  later  Editor  than  the  most  of  the  text  of  Acts. 
The  way  of  evading  the  force  of  this  by  reference  to  either  of  the  other 
men  bearing  tliat  name  in  the  Old  Testament,  seems  to  me  now  too 
improbable  to  be  fair. 


276  MATTHEW. 

view  we  should  readily  assent  in  regard  to  any  other 
documents  at  the  same  distance  of  time. 

The  very  great  difference  in  point  of  current  early 
acceptance  between  Matthew  and  Luke,  thus  indi- 
cated, would  show  even  quite  a  considerable  priority 
of  date  for  the  Greek  version  of  the  former  to  that  of 
the  latter.  But  there  was  before  that  a  HelDrew  or 
Aramaean  Gospel  of  Matthew,  "  which  each  one  trans- 
lated for  himself  as  he  was  able,"  until  the  incon- 
venience of  this  led  to  our  present  Greek  version  of  it,' 
which  was  considered  of  equal  authority  with  the  He- 
brew gospel.  Separate  apparently  from  this  was  the 
prior  synoptical  gospel,  either  in  a  written  or  perhaps 
simply  oral  form.*  On  the  whole,  therefore,  it  seems 
clear  that  at  as  early  a  period  as  could  possibly  be  ex- 
pected, the  history  of  the  life  of  Christ,  so  far  as  now 
presented  to  us  by  the  united  testimony  of  any  two 
of  the  synoptical  gospels,  must  have  been  published 
orally  at  least  to  the  whole  of  the  Gentile  Churches, 
and  indeed  to  each  member  of  them,  before  the  writincf 
of  Paul's  Epistles,  i.  e.  before  A.  D.  70,  and  indeed 
before  A.  D.  60,  if  not  50. 

The  author  of  the  third  gospel  claims,  as  1  under- 
stand from  Luke  1 :  1-4,  and  as  even  Renan  concedes, 
to  have  been  a  man  of  the  second  Apostolic  generation, 
(that  is  to  have  been  the  companion  of  the  men   about 

*  Sec  auto,  p.  OG. 


LUKK  277 

thirty  years  younger  than  Jesus,  but  who  were  eye 
witnesses  of  the  later  facts  of  our  Lord's  life.)  This 
would  place  his  gospel  between  about  A.  D.  60-80. 
One  chief  difficulty  which  renders  so  many  critics  un- 
willing to  admit  that  Luke's  gospel  could  have  been 
written  before  A.  D.  70,  is  that  the  prediction  of  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  is  so  accurate,  that  it  could 
not,  they  think,  have  been  written  before  the  event  had 
taken  place. 

Without  here  discussing  that  question,  I  believe  it 
will  be  found  on  turning  to  the  passages  referred  to  by 
De  Wette,  Renan,  and  others  on  this  point,  (Luke  21: 
9,  20,  24,  28,  32,  compare  32  and  36,)  that  they  contain 
chiefly  such  general  predictions  of  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  as  his  wonderously  instinctive  knowledge 
of  what  was  in  man,  might  even  naturally  have  led 
him  to  predict.  Coleridge  used  to  say  that  a  pro- 
founder  insight  into  causes,  was  the  foundation  of  the 
true  propiietic  foresight  of  events.  There  have  been 
predictions  in  regard  to  the  fate  of  slavery,  and  the 
beginning  and  the  results  of  our  own  civil  war,  which 
to  those  who  meditated  less  upon  such  subjects,  might 
have  seemed  quite  supernatural.  It  would  for  any 
such  theory,  seem  unfair  to  post  date  the  gospel  of 
Luke  in  order  that  it  might  not  contain  predictions 
which  came  true.  That  Jesus  foretold  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  I  believe,  although  some  of  the  sentences 


278  REST    OF   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT. 

recorded  in  Luke,  were,  I  think,  written  after  Jerusa- 
lem was  destroyed,  especially  Luke  11:  51. 

The  rest  of  the  New  Testament  Epistles  of  Paul, 
have  almost  all  of  them,  that  parenthetic  style,  and 
readiness  to  take  fire  and  enlarge  at  the  name  of  Christ, 
with  several  other  peculiarities  sufficient  to  assure  us 
of  their  genuineness.  The  early  forgers  of  spurious 
Christian  writings  have  no  imitations  of  style,  or  even 
thought  carried  to  this  extent,  and  whatever  may  be 
said  of  some  of  the  minor  Catholic  epistles,  there  are 
no  good  reasons  for  doubting  the  three  principal  of 
them,  —  I  Peter,  I  John  and  James,  —  are  genuine,in 
spite  of  the  denial  of  the  last  even  by  Luther. 
Whether  the  book  of  Revelations  was  written  by  John 
the  Apostle,  or  John  the  Presbyter,  written  in  68  or  98, 
or  at  any  time  in  between,  there  can,  I  think,  be  little 
doubt  of  its  being  a  production  of  the  first  century, 
certainly  before  the  end  of  the  first  quarter  of  the 
second,  and  perhaps  among  the  earliest  portions  of  the 
New  Testament. 

But  with  so  many  of  the  Christian  Scriptures  that 
arc  clear,  and  beyond  all  reasonable  question,  there  is 
no  need,  but  only  infinite  danger  in  preaching  to  the 
people  such  a  doctrine  of  verbal  infallibility,  as  shall 
make  them  give  uj)  the  whole  of  the  New  Testament, 
if  perchance  an  opponent  can  prove  a  j^robable  mis- 
take   about    some    unimportant    matter  of    fact,   or   a 


PROOFS   OF   INSPIRATION.  279 

logician  finds  an  illogical  mode  of  stating  an  argument 
even  in  "St.  Paul's  writings. 

The  true  proofs  of  the  Inspiration  of  these  writings 
are  to  be  found  in  the  effects  they  have  in  all  ages  pro- 
duced on  the  world,  and  do  now  produce  upon  the 
hearts  of  those  who  study  and  follow  them.  Just  so 
the  early  Churches  felt  the  proofs  of  St.  Paul's  Apos- 
tleship,  the  divine  authority  of  his  teachings.  But 
suppose  the  disciples  had  urged,  as  some  appear  to 
have  done,  with  regard  to  St.  Paul,  that  none  of  these 
apostles  were  absolutely  infallible,  and  had  therefore 
said  that  we  never  could  demonstrate  that  this  or  that 
particular  instruction  was  binding  ?  Would  it  not  be  fair 
to  reply  that  even  infallible  instructions  to  men  of  falli- 
ble understandings,  must  after  all  ever  be  to  a  certain 
extent  fallible,  and  that  when  we  have  obtained  the  best 
instruction  the  case  admits  of,  that  ought  to  be  suffi- 
cient, and  the  same  in  its  eflects  on  us,  as  if  it  were 
absolutely  unerring?  Why  then  should  we  demand  or 
expect  or  assert  a  quality  in  the  New  Testament 
writings,  never  esteemed  necessary  or  possible  in  re- 
gard to  the  personal  teachings  of  the  writers  while 
they  lived  ? 


280  OBJECTIONS. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

OBJECTIONS     AGAINST     WHAT     HAS     BEEN     ADVANCED.       , 

IT  often,  indeed  almost  always  happens,  that  in 
rising  from  low  and  partial  opinions  to  higher  and 
more  comprehensive  views  in  regard  to  any  subject, 
there  is  an  unpleasant  feeling  of  change  and  privation, 
as  if  we  were  about  to  be  robbed  of  every  truth,  even 
the  most  vital,  to  which  we  have  thus  far  been  accus- 
tomed. The  Alpine  traveller,  who  quits  for  the  first 
time  his  native  village,  and  climbs  the  mountain 
ranges,  finds  the  house  where  he  was  born,  and  tlie 
streets  in  which  he  had  walked,  and  the  garden  where 
he  had  played,  all  so  curiously  changed  and  dwarfed, 
and  the  relations  of  the  entu'c  valley  so  altered  by  the 
wider  connections  of  it  with  the  surrounding  hills,  that 
he  feels  as  if  he  had  lost  his  native  place.  And  he 
cannot  believe,  until  he  descends,  that  it  has  been  all 
there,  only  much  more  added  to  it.     It  is  a  strangely 


LOVE  OF  EXACT  TRUTH.  281 

desolate  feeling  to  perceive  that  "the  truth  and  the 
Gospel  that  we  have  known  are  but  a  small  home 
farm  in  the  great  universe."  Even  Martin  Luther 
could  not  bear  to  give  up  the  Ptolemaic  system,  which 
made  his  earth  the  centre  of  everything,  for  the  Copcr- 
nican,  allowing  that  the  earth's  movement,  and  not  the 
sun's,  produced  day  and  night.  He  feared  in  it  irrev- 
erance  to  Scripture  and  to  God.  To  be  really  irrev- 
erent to  either  would  be  a  sin  against  Christianity  that 
we  would  not  attempt  to  compute.  And  many  will 
esteem  the  views  that  have  been  expressed  as  tending 
to  dangerous  consequences.  But  while  holding  most 
firmly  to  these  writings  as  the  production  of  men  who 
"  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  and 
therefore  worthy  of  our  highest  rcvercncTe,  being  guides 
of  Divine  authority  as  a  whole,  and  authentic  exposi- 
tions of  Christianity,  we  shall  best  show  our  rcverciice 
for  them  by  a  love  of  the  exact  truth  in  regard  to  their 
composition,  in  preference  to.  such  an  idolatry  of  the 
letter  of  Scripture  as  must  destroy  the  veneration  the 
good  man  will  ever  feel  for  its  essence  and  spirit. 

The  demands  made  upon  us  by  the  present  century, 
to  give  up  several  of  our  old  beliefs  in  facts  supposed 
to  be  ultimate  in  Science,  have  been  many.  Seventy 
years  ago,  it  was  a  matter  of  primary  instruction  in 
every  school,  that  there  were  four,  and  but  four,  ele- 
mentary substances, —  air,  earth,  fire  and  water;  now 


282  EFFECTS    OF 

there  are  above  sixty  that  we  can  at  present  resolve 
no  further.  Fire,  light  and  lightning  were  considered 
substances,  rather  than  vibratory  motions  or  conditions 
of  substances  only  thus  partially  made  known  to  us. 
But  it  may  be  safely  said,  that  in  all  these  cases,  where 
real  and  true  science  overthrows  an  old  belief,  it  is  by 
substituting  some  more  general  and  comprehensive 
view  in  its  place,  which  embraces  all  the  long  familiar 
truths  of  the  old  view,  and  gives  us  a  larger  amount  of 
positive  knowledge  in  addition. 

We  can  perhaps  conceive  of  some  conceited  youth 
who  should  say,  "  You  have  proved  that  air  and  water 
are  but  mixtures  of  gases,  that  a  flame  of  fire  is  but 
the  vibration  caused  by  the  combining  of  oxygen  and 
carbon,  and  that  many  earths  are  but  the  combinations 
of  oxygen  with  metallic  bases,  so  that  all  that  used  to 
be  considered  the  four  elementary  substances  are  not 
such,  but  only  accidental  conditions;  therefore  I  will 
believe  in  none  of  them,  i.  c.  in  nothing.  All  is  a  dream. 
There  is  no  such  thing  as  matter."  In  spite  of  such 
dreams  and  doubters,  we  are  quite  sure  that  thinking 
people  generally  have  acquired  a  much  more  positive 
and  distinct  idea  of  what  earth,  air,  fire  and  water 
really  arc,  as  the  result  of  the  discussion;  their  old 
views  being  in  fact  superseded  by  broader,  more  gen- 
eral conceptions  of  each.     And  they  have  a  firmer  and 


LARGER   VIEWS.  283 

more  comprehensive  belief  in  the  existence  and  qual- 
ities of  all. 

In  like  manner,  a  true  Christian  is  constantly  finding 
his  former  crude  religious  conceptions  superseded  by 
more  general  ones ;  yet  this  need  not  lessen  his  faith 
in  experimental  Christianity,  but  should  increase  it, 
making  his  religion  broader  at  the  base,  and  therefore 
firmer. 

I  wish,  so  far  as  may  be,  to  illustratp  this  truth  in  its 
application  to  the  subject  of  Inspiration.  There  are 
now  many  Christians  who  feel  that  all  the  facts  of  the 
case  require  that  we  should  give  up  the  old  and  pop- 
ular view  of  Infallibility.  But  then,  they  say  that  by 
relinquishing  this,  we  give  up  the  certainty  of  every 
thing,  and  are  cut  adrift  from  all  the  old  authorities  in 
religion;  what  have  you  to  give  us  instead?  On  the 
contrary,  it  will  be  found  that  the  old  verities,  so  far  as 
they  are  exact  expressions  of  truth,  all  come  back  to  us 
with  new  and  higher  certainty,  and  in  more  compre- 
hensive, and  therefore  surer  forms. 

But  to  proceed  in  detail.  It  certainly  cannot  be 
supposed  that  everything  in  religion  will  be  thereby 
cut  loose  and  set  adrift.  All  the  great  truths  of  Natu- 
ral, that  is,  of  Universal  Religion,  belonging  to  man  as 
man,  must  remain  just  as  certain  as  ever.  The  exist- 
ence and  attributes  of  the  Supreme  Being,  the  distinc- 
tion of  spirit  and  matter,  of  right  and  wrong,  can  not  be 


284  NATURAL   RELIGION 

thus  shaken.  There  is  a  religion  that  belongs  to  man  as 
man,  a  sense  of  moral  obligation,  arising  out  of  the 
relations  he  sustains  to  God,  to  his  own  nature,  and 
to  his  fellow-creatures.  As  these  relations  are  more 
exactly  perceived  and  defined  in  each  age  by  the  intel- 
lectual developments  of  mankind,  so  the  moral  and 
religious  obligations  of  men  are  discriminated  with 
greater  clearness,  accuracy  and  certainty,  upon  uni- 
versal and  eternal  principles.  There  is,  therefore,  a 
science  of  Universal  Religion,  the  most  comprehensive 
and  profound  of  all  sciences,  capable  of  leading  to 
nbblest  results,  and  of  affording  the  greatest  support, 
indeed  the  only  sure  basis  on  which  to  build  up  the 
evidences  of  the  Christian  Religion  as  a  true  Revela- 
tion from  God.  No  difficulties  as  to  the  infallible 
nature  of  Inspiration  can  possibly  shake  any  portion 
of  that.  Experimental  religion,  with  all  the  compli- 
cated and  wonderful  confirmations  which  it  brings  to 
the  heart  of  the  living  Christian  of  the  truth  of  what  he 
believes,  fairly,  so  far  as  it  is  really  experience,  belongs 
to  Universal  Religion.  And  it,  in  like  manner,  cannot 
be  shaken  by  any  of  these  difficulties.  The  chief  dif- 
ference is,  that  what  he  had  supposed  a  special  revela- 
tion established  by  miracle  is  now  found  and  felt  to 
be  eternal  truth  and  a  part  of  Universal  Religion. 

Indeed,   the    whole   of   these   present   trials    of  our 
faith,  are  really  necessary  to  bring  the  certainty  of  the 


AND    CHRISTIANITY   REMAIN.  285 

great  natural  and  eternal  bases  of  all  religion,  and  of 
real  Christianity,  vividly  before  the  mind,  and  within 
the  acknowledged  range  of  our  vital  experiences.  As 
it  is  in  the  dark  night,  that  we  see  those  stars  most 
clearly,  which  are  worlds  of  light,  though  hidden  by 
the  blaze  of  day,  so  there  is  a  sort  of  eclipse  of  faith 
in  regard  to  the  Christian  Records,  that  may  render 
more  clear  to  the  pious  heart,  the  fundamental  princi- 
ples of  universal  Religion,  and  thus  end  in  giving  a 
nobler  view  of  these  ultimate  and  strongest  evidences 
of  Christianity  itself. 

The  objection  we  are  considering,  can  only  be  sup- 
posed to  have  any  bearing  upon  the  evidences  of 
the  Christian  religion,  not  on  all  religion  as  such.  But 
really  it  cannot  for  a  moment  be  believed  to  affect 
more  than  a  very  small  portion  of  what  are  commonly 
included  under  these  evidences.  In  Divinity  Lectures 
on  this  subject,  the  discussion  of  Inspiration  is  naturally 
and  properly  left  till  all  otiier  points  are  fully  estab- 
lished. If  there  is  any  exception  to  this,  it  is  most 
illogical.  The  genuineness  of  the  documents,  the 
authenticity,  credibility,  and  Divine  Authority  of 
Christianity,  are  all  established  before  the  subject  of 
Inspiration  is  touched  upon  at  all.  Of  course  then 
these  things  are  all  supposed  to  be  capable  of  being 
proved  independently  of  it,  although  it  may  be  de- 
pendent upon  them.     These  most  important  points  of 


286  INVERTING    THE   EVIDENCES. 

Cliristian  faith,  would  be  as  capable  of  proof  therefore, 
apart  from  any  particular  views  of  Inspiration  as  with 
them,  and  must  and  will  lip  discussed  quite  indepen- 
dently. 

It  is  true  that  sometimes  Theological  teachers  have, 
as  I  learn  for  supposed  convenience,  inverted  the  order 
of  lecturing,  and  begun  with  Inspiration  first  of  all,  for 
the  sake  of  making  their  work  more  easy,  when  all 
were  prepared  to  admit  at  the  outset,  the  conclusion 
attempted  to  be  reached.  No  doubt  it  makes  the  work 
more  easy  for  the  lecturer,  where  his  students  are 
docile,  and  already  fancy  that  their  gi'ound  is  perfectly 
secure.  But  it  is  not  fair,  and  must  by  so  much, 
destroy  the  possibility  of  making  his  work  solid.  He 
who  begins  by  lecturing  on  Inspiration,  must  in  doing 
so,  take  for  granted  the  existence  and  attributes  of  the 
Supreme  Being,  in  fine,  all  the  truths  of  Natural  Re- 
ligion, and  all  other  portions  of  the  evidences  of 
Revealed  Religion.  How,  for  instance,  does  he  obtain 
his  knowledge  of  what  books  shall,  and  what  shall  not 
be  included  in  the  Canon  of  those  Scriptures  he  at- 
tempts to  prove  all  infallibly  inspired?  An  objection 
brought  against  II  Peter,  might  seemed  to  vitiate  the 
whole,  or  arguments  proving  the  Inspiration  of  St. 
Paul,  or  I  Peter,  or  I  John,  might  be  believed  sufTi- 
cient  to  cover  the  book  of  Jude,  or  Solomon's  Song. 
Perhaps   nothing   will   better   illustrate  the  loose   and 


TENDENCY   TO   RATIONALISM.  287 

illogical  manner  in  which  this  whole  question  has  been 
discussed,  than  that  such  a  course  of  treatment,  such  a 
petitio  principii,  should  ia  different  Protestant  Institu- 
tions, have  been  pursued  for  twenty  or  thirty  years 
together.  Nothing  but  an  undefined  sense  of  the 
weakness  of  the  arguments  to  prove  the  conclusion 
desired,  could  have  led  to  the  adoption  of  this  course 
in  a  single  case. 

A  more  important  objection  to  our  view  of  the 
subject,  is  that  it  tends  to  Rationalism,  and  to  destroy 
the  due  submission  of  the  soul  to  Authority  in  Re- 
ligion. Rationalism  has  become  a  technical  Theologi- 
cal term,  and  is  understood  to  imply  a  system  of 
opinions  deduced  from  Reason  alone,  as  distinct  from 
any  acknowledged  basis  of  Authority,  especially  any 
Scriptural  authority  whatever.  To  one  who  believes 
that  holy  men  of  old  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  although  still  believing  them  to  be  men, 
who  spake,  and  therefore  fallible,  the  tendency  of  all 
the  views  I  have  advanced,  is  to  exhibit  in  as  strong  a 
light  as  possible,  consistent  with  truth,  the  Authority 
of  Holy  Scripture,  as  containing  a  Divine  as  well  as  a 
human  element,  a  revelation  of  eternal  and  glorious 
truths.  This  I  have  already  shown  in  the  chapter  on 
Authority  in  Religion.  So  far  our  object  is  just  the  op- 
posite of  Rationalism.  And  yet,  of  course,  it  must  be  the 
desire  of  every  wise  and  good   man  to  purge  increas- 


288  lecky's 

ingly  from  his  religion,  all  that  is  contrary  to  sound 
reason ;  in  fact,  to  have  nothing  but  a  perfectly  reason- 
able and  self-consistent  faith. 

Mr.  Lecky's  History  of  the  Rise  and  Influence  of 
Rationalism  in  Europe  is  in  fact  a  misnomer.  In  it 
we  see  a  number  of  lively,  vigorous,  and  original 
sketches,  not  of  Rationalism  strictly  speaking,  but  of 
the  struggle  between  Reason  and  Authority  on  several 
errors,  which  having  been  received  in  ages  before  the 
birth  of  Christianity,  have  been  really  expelled  from 
the  Church  by  the  conjoined  operation  of  Christianity 
and  Reason,  just  as  it  was  Luther's  faith  in  the 
Authority  of  Scripture,  not  Rationalism,  that  over- 
threw that  of  the  Pope. 

In  the  number  of  the  Westminster  for  October,  1865, 
there  is  a  Review  of  Mr.  Lecky's  work  on  the  History 
of  Rationalism  in  Europe,  containing  an  attack  on 
Christianity.  But  the  first  paragraph  of  it  expresses, 
in  fewer  and  clearer  words  than  we  have  almost  ever 
before  seen  it  conceded  by  such  a  writer,  what  were 
the  characteristics  of  that  living  spirit  in  Christianity 
as  distinct  from  all  the  highest  and  best  philosophy  of 
the  age  in  wliich  it  appeared,  that,  eighteen  hundred 
years  ago,  gave  it  the  power  to  overturn  all  other  sys- 
tems opposed  to  its  progress.  It  was  "a  principle 
which  substitutes  a  spirit  of  unselfish  tenderness  for  the 
hard,   cold   ideas  of   Greek    and    Roman    polity."     Jt 


HISTORY    OF   RATIONALISM.  289 

taught  that  "  the  self-dependent  magnanimity  of  Aris- 
totelian  ethics  is  a  mere  dream,  and  that  its  realization 
would  fill  the  earth  with  tyrants.  It  obliterated  gen- 
erally the  cruel  distinction  which  Athenian  philosophy 
drew  between  natural  freemen  and  natural  slaves.  By 
its  beneficent  influence,  slavery  has  given  place  to  serf- 
dom and  serfdom*  has  merged  into  liberty.  It  has 
taught  men  that  their  mutual  relations  have  no  mean- 
ing and  no  force,  except  as  based  on  an  eternal  and 
inalienable  relation  of  all  mankind  to  a  Father  whose 
justice  cannot  be  wearied  with  iniquity  and  whose  love 
is  not  to  be  conquered  by  ingratitude.  In  the  slowly- 
working  leaven  of  Christianity  we  discern  a  liviiig' 
spirit,  for  which  we  look  in  vain  in  the  dreamy  The- 
oria  of  Aristotle,  or  the  ideal  philosophy  of  Plato.  We 
see  in  the  vehement  conviction  of  Saul  of  Tarsus,  that 
the  final  issue  of  the  great  conflict  will  be  the  victory 
of  truth  and  love,  a  victory  by  which  the  last  enemy  of 
man  shall  be  destroyed,  and  God  shall  be  all  in  all." 

If  this  was  the  living-  poiver  of  that  system  which 
conquered  all  the  philosophy  and  religion  and  estab- 
lished physical  powers  of  the  world  eighteen  hundred 
years  ago,  we  may  rest  quite  assured  that  the  world 
will  not  move  hackivards  from  them  in  all  the  ages  to 
come.  The  Church,  including  all  churches,  may  have 
made  great  mistakes  in  carrying  them  out,  —  may  have 

abused  its  authority,  and  claimed  powers  over  the  rea- 
13 


290  lecky's 

son  that  did  not  belong  to  it,  and  these  abuses  may 
and  will  all  be  swept  away,  bnt  the  world  can  never  go 
backward  again  to  consider  Plato  and  Aristotle  final- 
ity. The  progi'ess  and  philosophy  of  all  the  future 
must  embrace  the  wisdom  of  all  the  past.  And  these 
principles,  which  Rationalism  concedes  to  lie  at  the 
base  of  Christianity,  have  plenty  of  work  to  do  in  the . 
world  yet.  And  Mr.  Lecky's  work  has  done,  and  will 
do  great  good  on  all  sides,  so  far  as  it  causes  such  con- 
cessions as  these  to  be  freely  made,  such  tributes  to  be 
paid  to  the  eternal  and  living  principles  of  that  re- 
ligion whose  Author  said,  eighteen  hundred  years  ago, 
"  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my  words 
shall  not  pass  away." 

Able  and  valuable  as  the  work  is,  it  is  not  a  histonj 
of  any  thing,  but  the  illustration  of  certain  points  in 
the  history  of  the  decline  of  belief  in  magic,  miracles, 
religious  persecution,  and  other  topics.  The  Critical 
History  of  Free  Thought,  by  A.  S.  Farrar,  ought  to  be 
a  work  substantially  on  the  same  subject,  according  to 
the  titles.  Yet,  if  the  Bampton  Lectures  are  history, 
Mr.  Lecky's  work  is  not.  Nor  is  it  fairly  a  vigorous 
sketch  of  certain  triumphs  of  Rationalism,  but  rather 
of  the  struggle  between  Reason  and  Authority  on  sev- 
eral errors  which  had  been  believed  in  ages  before  the 
birth  of  Christianity,  but  which  Reason,  in  conjunction 
with    Christianity,   has  gradually  boon   expelling  from 


HISTORY   OF   RATIONALISM.  291 

the  Church.  Rationalism  is  a  system  of  opinions 
deduced  from  reason,  as  distinct  from  Inspiration,  or 
opposed  to  it.-  But  most  of  what  Mr.  Lecky  calls 
Rationalism  was  really  reasoning  from  what  was 
thought  to  be  inspired  premises.  He  himself  admits 
that  "  the  success  of  any  opinion  depends  much  less 
vpon  the  force  of  its  arguments^  or  upon  the  ability  of 
its  advocates,  than  upon  the  predisposition  of  society 
to  receive  it."  That  is,  it  depends  less  upon  Rational- 
ism than  the  aidhority  of  certain  previous  states  of 
mind  in  the  community.  Nor  is  it  even  true  that 
the  predisposition  results  solely  "  from  the  intellectual 
type  of  the  age,"  but  far  more  from  its  moral  and 
religious  type. 

For  instance,  Mr.  Lecky  undertakes  to  give  the 
History  of  the  Decline  of  Religious  Persecution.  Yet 
he  never  alludes  to  Roger  Williams,  the  first  legisla- 
tor who  incorporated  perfect  religious  liberty  in  the 
statute  books  of  any  nation  in  the  globe,  —  nor  to 
Lord  Baltimore,  nor  to  William  Penn,  all  Englishmen 
by  birth  and  education.  Yet  where  did  Roger  Wil- 
liams, in  1639,  nine  or  ten  years  before  the  power  of 
Cromwell,  get  his  principles  ?  From  his  study  of  law  ? 
or  from  rationalism  ?  His  study  of  law  no  doubt 
made  him  long  to  incorporate  his  great  principle  in 
constitutional  form.  But  it  was  his  reverence  for  the 
authority^   of   what    he  considered  a  Bible  truth,  that 


292  HISTORY    OF   RATIONALISM. 

made  him  seek  and  demand  liberty  of  conscience,  and 
feel  that  it  was  the  right  of  all.  So  in  England  the 
rationalism  of  Hobbes,  made  him  "  the  most  unflinch- 
ing of  all  the  supporters  of  persecution,"  declaring 
that  "the  civil  power  had  the  absolute  right  to  de- 
termine the  religion  of  the  nation,"  even  when  wielded 
by  the  profligate  Charles  II.,  and  thus  encouraging  him 
to  keep  John  Bunyan  for  twelve  years  in  jail.  It  was 
not  rationalism,  —  not  even  reason,  but  reverence  for 
the  authority  of  conscience,  that  in  England  was  th,e 
source  of  both  religious  and  civil  liberty  in  the  days  of 
Cromwell,  and  of  the  commonwealth,  and  again  in 
1688.  And  where  would  freedom  of  conscience  have 
been  now,  throughout  the  world,  but  for  the  English 
and  American  struggles  ?  But  it  was  the  rationalism 
of  Plobbes  that  made  him  so  indifferent  to  the  rights 
of  conscience,  as  to  pat  every  man's  religion  under 
the  thumb-screws  of  the  politicians,  however  ignorant, 
profligate  and  vile. 

The  views.of  Inspiration  which  have  been  stated  by 
me,  tend  ultimately,  not  to  destroy,  but  to  increase  the 
spirit  of  reverent  veneration  for  the  Divine  and  there- 
fore Authoritative  in  Scripture  as  in  Providence,  in 
History,  and  above  all  in  the  presence  and  teachings  of 
the  Paraclete  in  every  true  Christian  experience.  A 
proper  view  of  this  subject  will  lead  to  higher  rever- 
ence for  the   Authority  ol    Scripture,  as  the  record   of 


TENDENCY   TO   MYSTICISM.  293 

that  ever  living  body,  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the 
Church  of  the  Redeemed  in  which  He  lives  and  reigns, 
who  walketh  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  candle- 
sticks. 

Perhaps  then  it  might  seem  especially  from  some 
developments  which  have  actually  taken  place,  that  the 
chief  danger  of  these  views  may  be  found  rather  in  a 
certain  tendency  to  mysticism  (such  as  we  see  in  High 
Church  Episcopacy,  or  in  transcendentalism,)  than  to 
Rationalism.  And  here  again,  all  turns  upon  the 
meaning  we  attach  to  terms.  For  there  must  ever  03 
as  the  basis  of  every  human  belief,  something  that 
transcends  the  mere  reasoning  process,  something  that 
goes  beyond  and  back  of  it,  some  basis  of  Author- 
ity on  which  all  reasoning  is  grounded. 


294  SUMMARY    VIEW. 


CHAPTER    XII. 


SUMMARY    VIEW. 


¥E  will  now  briefly  review  the  whole  ground,  anil 
especially  the  difficulties  of  those  spurious  views 
which  fail  to  take  into  the  account  the  Human  Ele- 
ment in  the  Inspiration  of  the  Scriptures. 

I.  One  of  the  difficulties  of  the  Popular  and  cur- 
rent views  of  Inspiration,  is  that  it  crosses  Antiquity, 
and  is  in  its  present  form  a  modern  growth.  At  the 
Reformation,  the  Lutheran  Church  in  its  Confessions 
of  Faith,  said  nothing  specially  about  the  Inspiration 
of  the  Scriptures.  In  1582,  however,  in  the  Preface  to 
the  Formula  of  Concord,  the  Lutherans,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  rather  than  of  controversy,  say,  "  We  believe 
those  sacred  writings  alone  to  be  the  sole  and  infallible 
rule  to  which  all  opinions  ought  to  conform." 

The  thirty-nine  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England 
assert  that  the  "  Holy  Scriptures  containeth  all  things 
necessary  to  salvation,  so  that  whatsoever  is  not  read 


A   MODERN    GROWTH.  295 

therein,  nor  may  be  proved  thereby,  is  not  to  be  re- 
quired of  any  man,  that  it  should  be  believed  as  an 
article  of  the  faith,  or  be  thought  requisite  or  necessary, 
to  salvation."  Bunsen  thinks  it  can  be  proved  that 
this  was  so  worded  because  many  of  those  preparing 
it  could  subscribe  to  no  more,  and  did  not  believe  in 
the  infallibility  of  inspiration. 

The  Westminster  divines,  however,  were  in  no 
mood  for  so  undecided  an  article  on  the  Bible  and  its 
claims,  and  from  their  utterances  the  Savoy  Confes- 
sion, and  then  the  New  England  Confession  of  Faith 
of  1680,  took  their  rise.  About  nine  years  later,  one 
hundred  Baptist  ministers  met  in  London  ^nd  adopted 
a  Confession,  almost  in  the  very  words  of  the  Savoy, 
except  as  to  Baptism.  Of  all  of  these  documents,  it 
must  be  allowed  that  the  absolute  Infallibility  of  the 
Inspiration  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  is  one  of 
the  most  decided  features,  and  put  forth  with  that  sort 
of  increasing  decision  and  prominence  which  makes 
us  wonder  why  it  was  that  the  saints  of  all  previous 
ages  were  so  defective  in  expressing  these  views,  pro- 
vided they  as  clearly  and  fully  believed  them.  In  fact, 
it  can  hardly  be  supposed  that  the  most  learned  and 
careful  of  them  did  this.  If  any  one  will  look  over  the 
Confessions  of  Faith,  historically,  from  the  Apostles' 
Creed  down  to  those  now  commonly  in  use  among 
most  of  the  modern  evangelical  dcnOminatiotis,  nothing 


296  IT    CROSSES    ANTIQUITY. 

will  SO  much  surprise  him  as  the  way  in  which  faith  in 
the  plenary  and  infallil)le  inspiration  of  every  part  of 
the  Bible  has  only  by  tlegi-ecs  developed  itself,  with  an 
increasing  decision  and  exclusive  force,  as  the  source 
of  all  Authoritative  religious  teachings,  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  the  Church  on  the  one  hand,  and  even  of  all 
the  great  principles  of  Universal  Religion  on  the  other. 
Li  the  Apostles'  Creed,  a  belief  in  the  books  of  the  Old 
or  New  Testament  is  not  once  alluded  to,  but  only  of 
some  of  the  principal  facts  taught  in  the  Church  and 
in  the  Bible.  But  in  one  of  the  last  of  these  docu- 
ments, the  first  article  is,  that  "  the  Holy  Bible  was 
written  by  men  Divinely  inspired,  that  it  has  God  for 
its  author,  salvation  for  its  end,  and  truths  without  any 
mixture  of  crror^  for  its  matter."  The  existence  even 
of  a  Supreme  being,  and  of  every  thing  like  a  Church, 
is  deduced  from  this  source  alone.  About  a  year 
ago,  in  a  sort  of  convention  of  the  Congregational 
Churches,  at  Plymouth,  to  re-afFirm  over  the  graves 
of  their  Fathers  their  adherence  to  the  great  principles 
of  religious  faith  brought  over  by  the  Pilgrims,  care 
seems  to  have  been  wisely  taken  to  avoid  in  future 
pledging  that  denomination  to  any  such  cxti-eme  and 
untenable  views.  In  fact,  it  is  from  a  sense  of  the 
necessity  of  an  abandonment  of  such  extreme  expres- 
sions  by   all    Christian    denominations,    theit  we    here 


DISCREPANCIES   DESTROY    LNTALLIBILITY  297 

point  out  some  of  the  objections,  theoretical  and  prac- 
tical, to  their  further  maintenance. 

11.  There  is  no  such  uniformity  as  we  should  expect 
to  find,  were  the  Scriptures  written  on  the  plan  sup- 
posed by  this  theory.  We  do  not  dwell  upon  the 
obvious  diversities  of  style,  by  the  various  writers, 
but  of  those  varieties  of  thought  that  amount  at  times 
to  irreconcilable  discrepancies.  Differences  of  this  kind 
may  and  often  do  confirm  the  credibility  of  an  ordinary 
witness,  by  showing  that  there  was  no  collusion,  but 
the  distinct  testimony  of  independent,  though  fallible 
persons.  But  the  moment  they  are  both  claimed  to  be 
truths  "without  any  mixture  of  error,"  proceeding 
from  one  infallible  spirit ;  either  all  such  discrepancies 
must  be  reconciled,  or  the  infallibility  be  abandoned. 
The  learning,  the  wearisome  toil,  and  the  subtleties  of 
rhetoric,  by  which  attempts  have  been  made  to  recon- 
cile all  conflicting  passages,  will  be  looked  upon  by 
future  ages  as  something  astonishing,  just  as  we  now 
regard  the  ingenious  controversies  of  the  school-men  in 
the  dark  ages. 

The  Genealogies  of  Jesus  in  the  first  seventeen 
verses  of  Matthew,  all  admit  to  be  diflicult  to  recon- 
cile in  any  way  with  Luke.  The  forcing  method  of 
supposing  that  one  relates  to  Joseph,  the  reputed 
father  of  the  Saviour,  and  the  other  to  Mary  his  real 
mother,  is  the  most  common.     That  is  difficult  enough, 


298  QUOTATIONS   FROM   THE   HEBREW 

but  the  assertion  that  there  are  just  "  fourteen  genera- 
tion's," when  in  fact,  there  are  eighteen,  is  an  obvi- 
ous mistake ;  —  one  of  no  practical  moment  to  us 
now,  perhaps,  except  as  destroying  the  claim  to  in- 
fallibility often  made  for,  but  never  b?/  the  Evangelists. 
In  the  Genealogy  given  by  Luke,  as  we  have  before 
shown,  the  name  of  Cainan  (chap.  3:  36,)  omitted  in 
the  Hebrew,*  is  inserted  agreeing  with  the  Septuagint. 
Thus  the  entire  chronology  of  the  world  is  extended 
one  hundred  and  thirty  years,  and  an  authority  is 
here  given  to  the  Greek  translation  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament against  the  Hebrew,  wholly  at  variance  with 
the  infallibility  of  either,  or  the  idea  of  unerring  ac- 
curacy having  been  esteemed  by  the  sacred  writer, 
of  the  same  importance,  as  our  Confessions  regard 
it  now.  The  advocates  of  verbal  inspiration,  do  not 
now  extend  their  views  so  far  as  to  concede  that 
deviations  as  great  as  those  between  the  Septuagint 
and  the  Hebrew,  altering  the  world's  Chronology  by 
more  than  a  thousand  years,  can  be  admitted  with- 
out affecting  the  question  of  Inspiration.  And  yet 
it  seems  impossible  to  deny  that  our  Saviour  and 
his  Apostles  did  practically  teach  this  view,  by  quo- 
ting more  freely  from  the  Greek  version,  which  was 
avowedly  inaccurate,  than  from  the  Hebrew,  which 
has  been  supposed  infallible.  There  are  altogether 
*  See  Gen.  11:  12. 


AND    SEPTUAGINT.  299 

one  hundred  and  eighty-one  quotations  in  tiie  New 
Testament  from  the  Old.  Of  these,  sixty-two  coin- 
cide exaetly  with  the  Hebrew,  and  seventy-two  with 
the  Greek.  There  are  six  cases  of  quotations  differ- 
ing from  the  HeTarew,  but  agreeing  with  the  Septua- 
gint,  and  eleven  differing  from  the  Septuagint,  and 
agreeing  with  the  Hebrew.  '  There  are  sixty-two  cases 
of  quotations  agreeing  nearly  with  the  Hebrew,  and 
forty-seven  taken  from  the  Septuagint,  but  with  some 
variation;  twenty-four  cases  of  quotations  agreeing 
with  the  Hebrew  in  sense  but  not  in  words,  and 
thirty-two  of  quotations  agreeing  with  the  Septuagint 
in  sense  but  not  in  words.  These  classifications  may 
be  found  in  Home,  Dr.  Davidson  and  others  have 
examined  this  subject  more  closely,  but  these  are 
sufficient  to  show  that  the  Septuagint  was  regarded 
about  as  nearly  infallible,  by  the  New  Testament 
writers  as  the  Hebrew.  Even  in  Matthew's  gospel, 
this  is  the  case.  Westcott,  in  his  Introduction  to 
the  New  Testament,  divides  the  quotations  made  by 
Matthew  into  two  classes,  those  passages  which  are 
quoted  by  Matthew  himself,  as  fulfilled  in  the  life  of 
Christ,  and  second  such  as  are  interwoven  in  the 
discourses  of  different  characters,  (including  Jesus  him- 
self,) and  form  a  part  of.  the  narrative  which  may  be 
supposed  to  have  been  the  basis  of  the  synoptical 
gospcly.     "  Exactly  in  accordance  with  this  supposition, 


300  PSALMS    14,   AND    53. 

it  is  lound  that  the  first  class  is  made  up  of  original 
renderings  of  the  Hebrew  text,  while  the  second  is  in 
the  main  in  accordance  with  the  Septuagint,  even 
where  it  deviates  from  the  Hebrew."  This  makes  it 
quite  clear  that  Matthew,  Hebrew  though  he  was  in 
the  whole  scope  of  his  mind  and  pm'pose,  had  still  no 
such  idea  of  verbal  inspiration,  as  made  him  feel  it 
necessary  to  re-translate  a  mis-rendered  passage  from 
the  Hebrew.  It  also  shows,  as  do  the  whole  of  these 
quotations,  made  prevailingly  from  the  Septuagint 
even  where  it  differs  from  the  Hebrew,  that  this  version 
was  considered  sufficiently  accurate.  The  Apostle 
Paul  appears  to  have  quoted  both  from  memory  freely, 
sometimes  using  one,  sometimes  the  other  with  equal 
freedom,  and  varying  at  times  from  both.  There  are 
five  or  six  such  passages  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans 
alone.  But  where  he  makes  a  long'  quotation  so  as  to 
turn  to  the  passage,  he  generally  uses  the  Septuagint. 
If  there  is  any  exception  to  this  in  other  \vriters  besides 
Matthew  already  discussed,  it  is  in  Peter. 

In  tlie  book  of  Psalms,  we  have  the  same  Psalm 
substantially  inserted  twice  over.  Ps.  14  and  53  with 
slight  variations,  showing  that  it  had  been  accidentally 
bound  up  in  two  collections  afterwards  merged  into 
one.  Facts  like  these,  and  they  could  be  multiplied 
to  any  extent,  show  that  no  such  idea  of  verbal  in- 
spiration was  held  when  the  books  of  Scripture  were 


TRANSLATIONS   NOT   INFALLIBLE.  301 

being  written.  The  honest  tmth-lovingness  visible  in 
the  whole  writings  and  conduct  of  the  Apostles,  is 
by  far  the  most  valuable  evidence  of  the  Inspiration 
of  the  New  Testament. 

III.  The  theory  of  Infallibility  could  have  no  consis- 
tency unless  each  translation  were  supposed  to  be 
equally  inspired,  or  there  were  a  universal  religious 
language,  with  which  each  Christian  was  bound  and 
able  to  become  acquainted.  Our  modern  versions,  any 
of  them  are  now  much  more  faithful  translations  of  the 
Bible  than  the  Septuagint  is  of  the  Hebrew.  Nor  need 
we  doubt  that  William  Carey  in  Calcutta,  Morrison  in 
China,  Henry  Martin  in  Persia,  and  Judson  in  Bur- 
mah,  were  raised,  aye,  inspired  truly  of  God  to  make 
their  several  translations,  though  far  enough  as  they 
ever  felt,  from  infallible,  both  they  and  their  works. 
The  Roman  Catholic  Church  has  often  been  blamed 
for  holding  that  Jerome  was  inspired  to  prepare  the 
Vulgate.  But  it  is  rather  for  allowing  the  people  to 
attach  an  exaggerated  idea  to  the  term  Inspiration, 
they  are  to  blame.  Either,  then,  these  writings  were 
not  meant  to  be  translated,  or  else  not  intended  to  be 
considered  infallible.  It  is  said  that  sea-weed  and 
shell  fish,  two  feet  thick,  were  lately  found  to  have 
grown  on  to  the  bottom  of  the  Great  Eastern,  and 
scraped  oft'.  So  these  superstitious  views  of  Inspira- 
tion, have  gradually  fastened  themselves  on  the  sacred 


302  THE   RECIPIENTS    NOT    INFALLIBLE. 

text  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  of  the  New,  like 
barnacles  on  the  bottom  of  a  ship,  and  while  they 
do  not  destroy  it,  yet  impede  its  native  powers.  True, 
a  similar  superstition  has  in  all  former  ages  generally 
come  to  adhere  to  the  earlier  religious  writings  of 
nearly  every  national  religion  separating  them  from  later 
productions,  and  while  preserving  them  from  alterations, 
often  impeding  or  destroying  their  original  usefulness, 
fossilizing  them  in  fact,  and  petrifying  all  their  utility. 
IV.  Such  a  theory  of  Inspiration  as  that  to  which 
we  object,  would  seem  for  any  practical  usefulness  or 
consistency,  to  require  not  only  an. equally  inspu'ed,  but 
infallible  state  of  mind,  in  all  persons  receiving  the 
sacred  words.  If  the  eye  that  perceives,  is  distorted  or 
jaundiced,  it  may  have  the  same  effect  practically,  as  if 
the  object  were  mis-shapen  or  discolored,  or  as  Whately 
puts  it  in  his  Rhetoric,  "  a  change  effected  in  one  of 
two  objects  having  a  certain  relation  to  each  other, 
may  have  the  same  practical  results,  as  if  it  had  taken 
place  in  the  other."  Though  a  book  may  be  ever  so 
infallible,  yet  perused  by  a  fallible  mind,  the  impress- 
ions received  cannot  be  relied  on  as  otherwise  than 
fallible.  It  is  on  this  account  that  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  when  she  superstitiously  undertook  to  establish 
an  infallible  Revelation  of  Religion,  was  even  more 
careful  to  claim  for  the  Church  an  infallible  power  of 
interpretation,  than  for  the  sacred  writings  perfection  of 


THE   DISPROOF   OF   INFALLIBILITY.  303 

composition.  And  Protestants,  when  they  overthrew 
the  authority  of  the  Church,  put  in  its  place  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  heart  of  each  enlightened 
individual. 

But  it  is  only  by  slow  degrees,  that  the  uselessness 
of  the  whole  idea  of  absolute  perfection  in  the  Revela- 
tion, while  the  man  for  whom  it  is  made  is  imperfect, 
is  perceived  by  the  minds  of  many.  Knowledge  of 
truth  must  be  and  is  a  holy  and  slow  growth  of  the 
soul  itself.  We  may  approximate  in  knowledge  cer- 
tainly nearer  to  perfection,  but  the  Finite  can  only  ap- 
proximate, never  reach  the  Infinite  and  the  Perfect. 

V.  Indeed,  this  theory  seems  absolutely  disproved 
by  the  whole  course  of  the  actions  and  assertions  of 
the  Inspired  writers.  In  the  first  paragraph  of  Luke's 
gospel,  where  he  enumerates  all  the  grounds  on  which 
we  are  to  know  "  the  certainty  of  the  things  "  recorded, 
this  claim  is  omitted.  But  it  would  surely  have  been 
brought  fonvard  as  most  decisive  of  all,  if  Luke  had 
considered  it  valid.  The  Apostolic  Constitutions  as 
we  have  seen,  forged  after  a  belief  in  Apostolic  Infalli- 
bility had  become  popular  in  the  Church,  have  just 
that  self-assertion  which  would  have  been  natural  had 
Luke  claimed  infallibility.  St.  Paul  also,  "  withstood 
Peter  to  the  face,  because  he  was  to  be  blamed," 
and  "  walked  not  uprightly,"  but  "  dissembled,"  while 
the    New    Testament   writers    quote    mis-translations 


304  THE  SPIRITUALIZING  METHOD. 

from  a  well  known  but  inaccurate  version  like  the 
Septuagint  with  more  frequency  than  from  the  He- 
brew. But  the  practical  objections  to  this  view  are 
really  far  more  serious  than  any  we  have  yet  named. 
VI.  The  error  against  which  we  are  contending,  has 
led  to  a  loose,  fanciful  and  spiritualizing  method  of 
interpreting  Scripture,  which  has  for  ages  been  the 
bane  of  the  Church.  By  this  means,  each  religious 
leader  easily  makes  the  Scriptures  themselves  seem  to 
the  flock,  to  teach  any  conceit  or  error  of  his  own,  and 
to  clothe  it  with  all  the  authority  of  infallibility.  When 
it  was  once  taught  that  all  the  directions  of  the  Penta- 
teuch were  not  merely  religious  instructions  for  the 
Jews,  but  in  every  word  an  infallible  revelation  for  all 
ages  and  nations ;  all  typical  and  prophetic  of  Chris- 
tian truth,  every  bell  and  pomegranite  on  a  priest's 
garment,  became  mystical,  and  the  very  snuffers  of 
the  candles  seemed  more  divinely  significant,  to  the 
Christian  Church,  than  they  were  literally  and  originally 
for  the  Jews.  Any  passages  of  Scripture  hard  to  rec- 
oncile with  each  other,  or  with  well  understood  facts, 
were  by  a  new  spiritual  interpretation,  stripped  of  their 
contrariety.  Alexandrine  Jews  like  Philo,  led  the  way, 
perhaps  from  still  older  philosophical  commentators 
upon  Homer  of  a  kindred  spirit,  and  in  an  elevating 
cloud  of  mysticism  doubted  or  denied  the  literal  obli- 
gatoriness or  truth  of  many  commands  or  histories  of 


/         INTELLECTUAL   AND    MORAL   INQUIRY.  305 

the  Old  Testament,  while  yet  quite  sure  of  the  infalli- 
bility of  those  spiritual  lessons  drawn  from  them  by 
this  species  of  interpretation.  Origen  in  the  third 
century  of  the  Christian  era,  carried  this  allegorical 
method  of  interpretation  still  further,  at  times  denying 
that  portions  of  the  Old  Testament  had  any  true  literal 
meaning,  and  systematizing  in  the  Church  a  vicious 
system  of  interpretation,  never  thoroughly  got  rid  of 
since,  but  especially  revived  in  the  Protestant  Church 
under  Cocceius.  This  was  all  the  natural  result  of  an 
exaggerated  theory  of  inspiration,  and  it  led  at  the 
beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century  to  a  re-action  of 
the  most  terrible  kind  against  all  love  and  reverence  for 
Scripture. 

VII.  This  idea  of  Infallibility,  further,  evidently 
stultifies  Intellectual  and  Moral  culture,  where  most 
implicitly  carried  out,  and  to  a  fearful  extent.  Nothing 
is  indeed  so  elevating  and  morally  enlightening  as  the 
study  of  the  Bible,  conducted  in  a  natural  and  devout 
manner,  without  any  sceptical  desire  to  find  flaws  on 
the  one  hand,  or  superstitious  dread  of  meeting  the 
proofs  of  a  human  and  fallible  element  on  the  other. 
But  quite  opposite  is  often  the  effect  of  Biblical  study 
on  the  mechanical  principles  of  infalUblity.  Galileo 
was  preached  against  by  a  Dominican  from  the  text. 
"  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  looking  up  into 
heaven,"  and  was   brought  before  the   Inquisition  for 


306  SCIENTIFIC    CHRISTIANS 

saying  that  the  earth  moves,  and  thus  contradicting 
the  Church  and  the  Scriptures.  We  smile  at  all  this 
now,  and  equally  at  the  zeal  with  which  Protestant 
Priests  defended  Hellenistic  idioms  as  not  Hebraisms, 
but  necessarily  the  purest  Greek,  because  the  chosen 
vehicle  of  the  inspired  writers  of  the  New  Testament. 
Yet  even  Beza  considered  them  as  "gems  with 
which  the  Apostles  had  adorned  their  writings." 
And  within  about  thirty  years  at  Andover,  so  intelli- 
gent and  progressive  a  theologian  as  Professor  Moses 
Stuart,  sneered  at  the  objections  of  geologists,  and 
"  the  theory  of  gradual  formation  which  makes  some 
thousands  of  years  necessary  in  each  of  the  six  days," 
and  thinks  "  they  will  deserve  more  consideration  when 
any  two  respectable  geologists  are  agreed,"  and  when 
the  earth  shall  have  been  pcnetrate<l  more  than  "  an 
eight  thousandth  part  of  its  diameter.  He  reminds  us 
that  it  is  not  necessary  to  suppose  that  acorns  were 
created  first  instead  of  oaks.  Dr.  Pye  Smith  was  still 
more  recently  considered  quite  a  dangerous  heretic 
for  doubting  the  universality  of  the  Deluge,  and  where 
is  the  writer  whose  orthodoxy  is  esteemed  safe,  who 
has  openly  doubted  the  Chronology  of  both  Usher 
and  Hales,  and  ventured  to  believe  in  the  much 
higher  antiquity  of  the  race  of  man  on  the  earth? 
A  few  scientific  Professors  may  have  ventured  to  hint 
in    ambiguous    phrase    of    the     "  pre-historic    races." 


TREATED   AS   INFIDELS.  307 

One  or  two  Reviews  like  the  Edinburg  have  at  last 
broken  the  shell,  and  allowed  that  the  Bible  was  not 
written  to  teach  us  scientific  matters  like  these,  but 
only  to  be  accused  of  laxity  and  infidelity.  None  I 
think  can  questioji,  that  at  least  until  this  time,  the 
obstructing  force  exerted  against  the  freedom  and 
progress  of  science,  in  order  to  keep  up  respect  for  these 
views  of  verbal  inspiration,  has  been  very  great.  Every 
scientific  association  knows  something  of  it.  Nearly 
every  child  is  taught  in  his  school  books,  as  unquestion- 
able fact  and  inspired  truth,  things  which,  so  long  as 
believed  in,  must  condemn  him  to  utter  ignorance  of 
the  most  important  scientific  questions  of  the  day.  If 
the  early  records  of  the  Old  Testament  were  studied 
freely  and  by  all,  as  ancient  fragments,  and  as  such 
compared  and  put  side  by  side  with  other  ancient  frag- 
ments, fairly  though  reverently,  how  much  might  be 
done  to  render  Bible  classes  a  thousand  times  more 
interesting  and  instructive,  and  to  secure  a  progressive 
knowledge  of  the  earliest  historic  periods  of  the  human 
race.  Now,  on  the  other  hand,  many  intelligent 
parents  are  keeping  their  children  from  these  classes 
lest  their  minds  should  be  prejudiced  in  the  name  of 
reverence  for  the  Bible,  against  all  scientific  study  of 
these  matters.  In  fact  these  wrong  views  of  Inspiration 
are  so  used  as  to  pour  contempt  on  Natural  Religion. 
All    God's  other   revelations    of    himself,    whether    in 


308  RETROGRADE   MOVEMENT 

the  course  of  nature,  in  Providence,  or  in  History  are 
ignored  and  slighted.  The  Bible  is  treated  as  infallible, 
they  as  fallible,  and  our  interpretations  of  it  are  clothed 
with  an  authority  which  is  in  all  cases  denied  to  our 
interpretations  of  their  instructions ! 

In  this  respect,  there  has  been  a  singular  and  retro- 
grade movement  among  many  of  what  are  called 
Evangelical  Christians  within  the  last  hundred  years, 
very  marked  and  very  fearful;  one  that  must  tend  to 
an  increased  deadness  to  all  religion,  especially  among 
those  who  find  proofs  of  the  fallibility  of  certain  por- 
tions of  the  sacred  records.  There  were  many  incau- 
tious expressions  in  several  of  the  earlier  Protestant 
Confessions,  in  which,  intending  merely  to  oppose  the 
authority  of  Romish  traditions,  it  was  asserted  that 
God  had  been  pleased  to  commit  the  revelation  of 
himself,  '■^ivhollij  to  writing,  —  the  other  ways  of  God's 
revealing  his  will  unto  his  people  (as  by  dreams  and 
visions)  being  now  ceased."  Yet  it  always  used  to  be 
allowed  that  the  light  of  nature,  and  the  works  of 
creation  and  providence  do  manifest  the  goodness, 
wisdom  and  power  of  God.  In  the  life  of  Neal,  the 
author  of  the  History  of  the  Puritans,  he  himself  gives 
in  1739,  in  his  old  age,  a  beautiful  testimony  of  the 
grounds  of  his  own  faith,  thus :  "  My  greatest  con- 
cern is  to  have  rational  and  solid  expectations  of  a 
future    happiness.     I  rely  very  much  on  the   rational 


AMONG   PROTESTANTS.  309 

notions  \vc  have  of  the    moral   perfections  of  God,  not 
only  as  a  just,  but  a  benevolent  and  merciful   Being. 
*         *         *         In  aid  of  the  imperfection  of  our  ra- 
tional  notions,  I   am    very   thankful   for   the    glorious 
truths  of    Gospel   revelation,  which  are  an  additional 
superstructure  on  the  other.     For  though  we  can  re- 
ceive nothing   contrary  to  our  reason,  we  have  a  great 
many  excellent  and  comfortable  discoveries  built  upon 
and  superadded  to  it.     Upon    this  double  foundation, 
would  I  build  my  expectations   with  an  humble  and 
awful  reverence  of  the   Judge  of  all   the  earth,  and  a 
fiducial   reliance   on   the    mercy   of    the    Lord   Jesus 
Christ  to  eternal  life."  *     But  in   place  of  this  double 
foundation,  all  the  other  revelations  of  Universal    Re-, 
ligion    are    by   many    ostentatiously   discarded.      The 
written   Scriptures  are  declared  to  be  'Hhc  only''  rule 
of  faith    and   practice.     And    a   quotation,    (not  from 
Chillingworth,  but  probably  from  a  printer   or   proof 
reader  of  his,  falsely  attributed  to  him,)   expresses  the 
whole  matter  with  an  unfortunate  exactness,  the  Bible 
and  "  the   Bible  alone  is  the  religion   of  Protestants." 
While  it  is  in  part   true,  as  Butler  declares,  (Part  II, 
Chap.  1,)    that  the  Bible  contains  a  re-publication  of 
the    Religion    of   Nature,   a  more   exact   view   would 
surely  be,  that  it  is  a  supplement  to  it,  and  not  in- 
tended  to   be  consti-ued   independently   from,   but   in 
*  History  Puritans,  Memoir,  p.  35. 


310  THE    CHUPvCII 

accordance  with  what  it  supplements.  Modern  Bibli- 
olatry  puts  the  two  in  antagonism,  the  one  to  the 
other.  The  true  religion  of  the  present  must  embrace 
all  that  has  gone  before.  The  whole  Church  of  the 
future  groweth  into  an  holy  temple,  only  by  incorpora- 
ting materials  from  every  dispensation  and  Revelation 
of  the  Past. 

No  doubt,  it  is  easier  for  the  unlettered  Christian  not 
to  trouble  himself  with  the  dim  speculations  of  Natu- 
ral Religion ;  and  he  who  cannot  find  time,  or  mental 
and  moral  capacity  for  both,  will  indeed  find  the  writ- 
ten word  a  lamp  unto  his  feet,  and  a  light  unto  his 
path,  wondrously  illumining  the  path  of  life.  But  there 
are  few  Christians  Avho  will  not  be  spiritually  im- 
proved by  the  faith  in  and  study  of  Natural  Religion, 
for  it  is  the  true  key  to  open  all  difficult  texts  of  the 
Bible.  And  for  those  who  can  do  this,  (and  who  can- 
not?) any  other  course  will  be  that  path  of  idleness 
that  always  ends  in  spiritual  feebleness.  A  stronger 
faith  in  the  great  principles  of  Universal  Religion  is 
the  chief  want  of  our  day,  if  only  to  coiTCct  that  weak 
and  efTcminate  pietism  which  so  many  mistake  for  true 
piety. 

VIII.  These  views  of  the  absolute  infallibility  of 
the  written  word  detract  from  the  proper  view  and  r(»v- 
erence  for  the  Church,  as  a  practically  inspired  body. 
That  there  is   a   mystical   body  of   Christ,   in   which 


AN   INSPIRED    BODY.  311 

lie  dwells  and  walks,  and  which  justly  claims  great 
authority,  the  Scriptures  plainly  declare.  In  former 
ages,  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  with  plausibility, 
assumed  to  be  alone  that  body,  possessed  of  the  keys, 
and  as  such,  to  be  infallible.  The  Protestants  detected 
and  exposed  this  error,  but  have  many  of  them  fallen 
into  a  worse,  which  is  that  the  Church  of  Christ  is  not 
an  inspired  body,  but  a  sort  of  voluntary  society,  or 
aggregate  of  such  societies,  —  only  that,  and  nothing 
more.  The  Church  of  Christ  includes  all  who  love 
and  follow  Him.  And  though  the  membership  of  it 
may  be  invisible  to  mortal  eye,  it  acts  with  a  visible 
and  inspired  power  and  authority  upon  each  age, 
nation  and  community,  leading  it  forward  with  a 
heavenly  instinct  and  superior  wisdom.  There  is  the 
home  of  the  Paraclete  on  Earth.  Thus  all  become  in 
measure  inspired  with  the  presence  of  the  Saviour,  the 
life  of  God.  Each  individual  Christian  has  the  Spirit 
in  degree,  even  alone,  but  he  will. also  recognize  a  voice 
speaking  to  him  through  the  Christian  community  with 
which  he  associates.  Our  modern  visible  churches  arc 
perhaps  all  very  much  like  dift'erent  classes  in  a  large 
school.  One  may  be  a  little  in  advance  of,  or  another 
behind  the  rest.  Some  particular  branches  of  study 
may  be;  prosecuted  most  advantageously  in  one  class, 
and  some  in  another ;  but  wherever  the  Christian 
studies,    he    should   do   it  with  a  loving   faith    in    Ihe 


312  THE   ATHEISTIC 

value  of  the  instructions  of  the  whole  school.  Not- 
withstanding the  bickerings  of  sects  and  parties,  the 
true  Christian  will  love  the  Church  of  Christ  as  the 
Jerusalem  which  is  from  above  and  the  mother  of  us 
all,  free  with  her  children  from  subjection  to  any  undue 
authority,  but  guided  by  the  animating  spirit  of  Him 
who  founded  it.  Rightly  regarded,  it  utters  not  a  mere 
verdict  of  the  majority,  but  the  voice  of  God  in  the 
earth,  asserting  the  foremost  truths  of  each  age  to 
mankind,  and  inspiring  men  with  the  loving  and  holy 
thoughts  of  Christ's  own  nature.  But  a  right  practical 
view  of  the  Church  cannot  and  does  not  co-exist  with 
a  wrong  and  superstitious  view  of  Scripture. 

IX.  But  the  greatest  practical  evil,  which  renders 
these  mechanical  views  of  Inspiration  most  dan- 
gerous and  mischievous,  is,  that  if  a  single  mistake 
can  be  exhibited,  it  leads  men  to  suppose  that  the 
Divine  authority  of  the  whole  is  disproved  and  at  an 
end.  One  plausible  objection  practically  shakes  faith 
in  the  ivhole  as  Divine.  No  doubt,  if  we  want  a  guide 
merely  to  the  study  of  Geology,  the  writings  of  Sir 
Charles  Lyell  will  give  us  a  more  correct  notion  of  the 
processes  by  which  this  earth  has  become  what  it  is, 
than  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis.  But  as  an  instruc- 
tive declaration  that  in  the  beginning  God  planned  out 
the  whole,  Genesis  teaches  a  class  of  truths  beyond  the 
province   of  the   mere   geologist,  whose   examination 


FORM   OF   INFIDELITY.  313 

stops  with  the  latest  pdsitivc  results,  and  extends  back 
.only  to  the  physical  and  intellectual,  but  docs  not 
necessarily  extend  to  personal  or  final  causes.  All  true 
theology  does  just  this,  and  reads  in  creation  just  what 
Moses  read  there,- — the  dispositions  of  Him  which  are 
revealed  in  all  these  works,  and  which  open  up  to  us 
the  very  heart  of  God  himself.  M.  Comte,  who  denies 
a  personal  God,  may  be  as  sincere  a  believer  in  Geol- 
ogy as  Sir  Charles  Lyell,  or  Dr.  Buckland ;  but  the 
Divine  Inspirations,  which  lie  back  of  the  merely  intel- 
lectual science,  and  reveal  to  the  intuitional  nature  of 
man  the  most  important  of  all  truths  connected  with 
the  study  of  Geology,  may  be  lost  to  him  who  rejects 
the  treasures  of  Divine  truth  and  love  contained  in 
Genesis,  because  of  the  cracks  and  flaws  of  the  earthen 
vessel  in  which  it  is  placed.  On  the  contrary,  these 
ought  to  enable  us  to  discriminate  and  feel  that  there 
Js  an  cMccUency  of  power  behind  the  whole.  Here, 
then,  is  the  great  and  final  misfortune  of  the  error  we 
have  been  considering,  —  it  tends  by  reaction  to  pro- 
duce the  most  terrible  and  Atheistic  form  of  Infidelity. 

14 


314  THE  TRUE  VIEW. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE     TRUE     VIEW    OF    THE     INSPIRATION    OF    THE    BIBLp. 

THERE  is  an  interesting  little  work  put  forth  by  the 
late  Dr.  Alexander,  of  Princeton,  on  the  Evidences 
of  Scripture,  and  published  by  the  Presbyterian  Board 
of  Publication.  In  determining  what  books  have  right 
to  a  place  in  the  New  Testament  Canon,  the  author 
says  three  methods  of  settling  this  have  been  attempted : 
1.  The  Authority  of  the  Church,  i.  e.  the  iRomish 
Church  (which  Dr.  Alexander  considers  arguing  in  a 
circle) :  2.  Internal  Evidence  (adopted  by  the  Reformed 
French  Church) :  and,  3.  Historical  Testimony,  which 
he  considers  the  true  view.  The  question  to  be  de- 
cided, is,  he  thinks,  a  matter  of  fact,  whether  the  books 
of  the  "New  Testament  are  indeed  the  production  of 
Apostles.  Mark  and  Luke,  he  attempts  to  prove, 
though  not  themselves  Apostles,  wrote  under  Apos- 
tolic direction. 


THE   HELLENISTIC    STYLE.  315 

Now  if  we  should  grant  all  that  is  thus  claimed,  it 
would  appear  that  exactly  as  much  infallibility  belongs 
to  the  Inspiration  of  the  New  Testament  as  arises  from 
its  being  written  by  Apostles,  and  no  more.  Our  own 
position  is,  that  the  official  Apostolical  books  of  the 
New  Testament  have  in  that  fact  the  assurance  of 
Apostolical  Inspiration.  But  as  the  Divine  Authority 
given  to  these  men  to  establish  Christian  Churches 
did  not  render  their  spoken  words  infallible  individ- 
ually, and  nothing  of  that  sort  was  ever  promised 
them,  nor  thus  understood  by  themselves,  or  by  others 
around  them,  so  the  sacred  writings,  while  contain- 
ing in  the  aggregate  a  system  of  the  highest  Divine 
authority  and  inspiration,  are  not  to  be  considered 
as  individually  and  perfectly  faultless.  To  be  more 
specific : 

I.  This  Inspiration  does  not  prevent  a  peculiar  and 
human  style  from  adhering  to  each  author,  and  a  gen- 
eral National  or  Hellenistic  style  from  belonging  to  the 
whole  of  the  Greclc  sacred  writings.  Although  the 
teachings,  so  far  as  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  must  be  in 
themselves  infallible  and  absolute  truth,  yet  the  human 
element  which  comes  into  play,  first  in  receiving  the 
Divine  communication,  and  then  in  recording  or  ntter- 
ing-  it,  is  clearly  not  absolutely  immaculate,  but  of 
finite  wisdom  in  both  these  operations.  It  therefore 
colors   the   communication   by   the   njedium    througii 


316  THE   LETTER 

which  it  passes,  as  to  the  figures,  the  style,  and  to  a 
certain  extent  with  the  thoughts  of  the  writer.  So  far 
as  he  fails  to  perceive  or  to  express  perfectly  the  Divine 
idea,  there  is  at  least  room  to  suppose  possible  imper- 
fection. Without  disputing  that  the  Divine  Spirit 
could,  and  in  some  particular  cases  may  have  per- 
fectly guarded  a  particular  communication  from  all 
tinge  of  human  infirmity,  it  may  be  safely  asserted, 
that  so  far  as  style  at  least  is  concerned,  it  has  not 
seen  fit  to  do  so.  There  is  no  evidence  or  assertion  of 
such  an  absoluteness  of  spiritual  dictation  usually,  but 
there  is  every  possible  evidence  of  the  contrary. 

11.  It  will,  we  suppose,  be  by  all  admitted  that  the  In- 
spiration of  the  Bible,  does  not  cause  infallibility  to 
adhere  to  each  part  absolutely  and  separately  from  the 
whole.  The  declaration  that  "  there  is  no  God,"  is 
only  true  in  its  connection  "the  fool  hath  said  in 
his  heart."  The  cloak  recorded  as  being  left  by  St. 
Paul  at  Troas,  though  most  useful  as  showing  the 
general  simplicity  of  the  \vriting  and  perhaps  helping 
to  prove  St.  Paul's  liberation  from  his  first  captivity 
in  Rome,  and  so  fix  the  date  of  the  Epistle,  is 
beyond  this,  useless  to  us  religiously  and  not  to  be 
spiritualized.  Some  have  seemed  in  former  days  to 
think  that  a  religious  truth  must  be  found  or  forced 
into  every  statement  of  the  Bible.  All  the  secular 
narratives  and  varieties  of  style,  idiom   and   statement. 


KILLETII.  317 

become  most  useful  as  showing  the  simplicity,  honesty 
and  humanity  of  the  wiiters.  The  differences  of  the 
Evangelists  are  important  in  this  respect,  establishing 
the  characters  of  the  distinct  writers,  each  with  his 
separate  purpose,  and  marking  him  off  as  an  indi- 
vidual. 

But  tills  view  needs  carrying  out  much  further 
than  ordinarily  has  been  done  by  those  harmonists, 
who  to  make  the  writers  appear  infallible,  have  strained 
and  stretched  each  narrative  on  a  Procrustean  bed,  or 
denied  its  identity  with  the  same  facts  differently  record- 
ed on  account  of  some  slight  inaccuracy  in  one  of  the 
relations.  There  needs  a  more  loving,  confiding  view 
of  Inspiration,  than  the  mere  servile  and  verbal  one. 
The  letter  killeth,  —  the  spirit  giveth  life.  We  certainly 
want  a  more  wise  appreciation  of  the  Scripture  as  a 
whole,  and  of  the  character  of  its  Inspiration  allow- 
ing us  to  rectify  individual  mistakes  by  the  tenor  of 
the  whole. 

III.  Nor  again,  is  even  the  whole  of  Scriptm-e  so 
inspired  as  to  lead  us  into  all  needful  truth  inde- 
pendently of  the  Holy  Spirit  guiding  our  hearts,  or 
Providence  our  lives.  Wc  must  be  inwardly  enlight- 
ened to  read  aright  the  book  of  God. 

IV.  In  fact,  the  Bible  is  not  inspired  in  anv  such 
way  as  to  render  lis  independent  of  all  of  God's 
other  revelations  of  Himself  and  his  Will  in  nature  or 


318  INSPIRATION    BELONGS    TO 

in  science,  in  Providence  or  in  grace.  The  teachings 
of  all  history,  past  and  present,  contain  as  surely  as 
the  Bible,  lessons  from  God  to  be  diligently  studied, 
and  the  whole  form  the  Scriptures  of  the  true  Chris- 
tian. "  We  are  not  to  look  for  truth  only  in  one  book, 
or  set  of  books  written  centuries  ago.  But  all  truth  is 
God's  truth,  all  created  things  are  his  book,  and  all 
light  is  from  the  Father  of  lights." 

V.  The  Bible  is  not  so  inspired  as  to  prevent  or 
restrict  the  freest  discussions  as  to  matters  of  chronol- 
ogy or  science  generally.  We  certainly  have  no  right 
to  be  more  certain  that  our  interpretations  of  Scrip- 
ture arc  correct,  than  that  our  interpretations  of  these 
elder  Scripture  are.  We  may  and  do  mistake  in  our 
renderings  of  both.  The  Bible  was  not  given  to  teach 
us  science,  it  was  given  to  awaken  our  religious  life, 
and  each  book  of  God  can  best  inform  us  on  those 
subjects  for  which  it  was  specially  intended. 

VI.  A  distinction  should  therefore  be  made,  in  read- 
ing the  books  of  the  Bible,  between  those  truths  the 
particular  writer  seems  to  have  been  inspired  with,  and 
specially  designed  to  teach,  and  those  other  opinions, 
religious  as  well  as  secular,  which  the  writer  expresses 
incidentally,  or  arising  from  his  age,  country,  or  con- 
dition. The  writers  in  the  Old  and  in  the  New  Testa- 
ments express  views  on  many  subjects  besides  those  it 
was  their  object  to  connnunicate,  —  opinions  received 


THE  RELIGIOUS   TRUTH.  319 

from  early  education,  national  prepossessions  or  preju- 
dices, and  the  intellectual  and  moral  atmosphere  of  the 
age  in  which  they  lived.  These  may  be  true  or  mis- 
taken ;  but  unless  it  could  be  shown  that  their  in- 
spiration not  only  taught  them  the  new  and  higher 
knowledge,  but  restrained  them  also  from  accepting 
or  expressing  any  of  the  imperfect  views  of  their  age, 
which  they  had  imbibed  as  men,  we  must  allow  that 
their  forms  of  expression  and  of  thought  may  have 
been  colored  by  these  circumstances.  Are  we  to  re- 
ceive all  these  views,  sometimes  asserted,  but  more 
frequently  only  implied,  as  infallible?  These  opinions 
are  on  various  subjects,  philosophical,  historical,  politi- 
cal, or  religious.  No  one  supposes  the  belief  of  the 
sacred  writers  was  correct,  according  to  our  standard, 
in  regard  to  the  motion  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  the 
firmament,  the  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun  and  moon, 
&c.  So  also,  when  Matthew  informs  us  that  fourteen 
was  the  number  of  the  generations  between  David 
and  the  carrying  away  into  Babylon,  was  he  not  mis- 
taken in  a  matter  of  history  ? 

And  now  in  regard  to  their  religious  views.  The 
Apostle  Paul  was,  we  know,  brought  up  at  the  feet 
of  Gamaliel,  one  of  the  few  great  and  popular  Rabbis 
of  his  time,  who  had  at  least,  less  prejudice  than  most 
of  his  brethren  against  Greek  literature,  and  had  more 
acquaintance  with  it ;  —  a  sort  of  Erasmus  of  his  day 


320  Adam's  fall. 

beside  St.  Paul  a  kind  of  ancient  Luther.  Is  it  not 
probable  then  that  some  of  the  Alexandrine  theology- 
may  have  been  incorporated'  into  Gamaliel's  words  to 
the  young  man  Saul,  and  worked  themselves  out  in  his 
doctrine  of  faith  ?  He  himself,  though  so  tolerant  of 
the  Apostles,  even  when  the  zealous  Saul  was  im- 
bruing his  hands  in  their  blood,  is  said  by  the  Tal- 
mudists  to  have  turned  afterwards  and  written  or 
approved  a  formal  anathema  upon  the  Christians. 
Perchance  then  after  leading  on  Paul  to  a  certain 
point  he  as  many  timid  reformers  have  done  before 
him,  he  turned  back  as  they  do,  while  his  bolder  young 
disciple  went  forward.  But  that  some  of  Paul's  in- 
cidental theological  views  have  an  Alex«indrine  cast, 
cannot  be  questioned,  and  these  may  have  been 
obtained  from  his  liberal  teacher  of  early  life.  At 
any  rate,  they  arc  more  ancient  than  himself,  and  are 
the  repetition  of  the  current  views  of  the  best  informed 
and  most  advanced  religious  thinkers  of  his  day.  The 
doctrine  of  the  vicarious  and  injurious  consequences 
of  Adam's  fall,  which  in  the  fifth  of  Romans,  was 
made  an  illustration  by  way  of  antitype  of  the  vicari- 
ously redemptive  work  of  the  second  Adam,  was  a 
pre-existing  Jewish  development  found  more  fully 
expressed  in  their  writings.  Yet  in  certain  sections 
and  ages  of  the  Christian  Churcli,  this  illustration 
from  the  Rabbinical  education  of  St.  Paul's  day  has 


A   R^VBBINICAL   DOCTRINE.  321 

been  the  foundation  of  whole  systems  of  Theology, 
tremendous  and  terrible  enough.  Surely  without  dis- 
paraging the  Apostle's  Inspiration,  it  might  be  allow- 
able to  question  much  that  the  Jewish  doctors  had 
taught  him.  Yet  Dr.  Gill  has  cited  these  opinions  as 
certain  proofs  of  truth,  because  St.  Paul  brought  up  a 
Pharisee,  incorporates  them  as  his  own  in  a  mere 
illustration. 

The  history  of  all  religious  opinions,  in  the  Bible  as 
well  as  out  of  it,  is  being  studied  with  more  care  now 
than  formerly.  And  as  a  farmer  who  should  buy  a 
field  sown  with  wheat,  would  give  more  for  the  field 
for  the  sake  of  the  crop,  though  not  for  the  sake  of  the 
weeds  which  yet  formed  a  part  of  it;  so  in  dealing 
with  systems  of  religion,  there  will  be  seeds  spring  up, 
not  sown  by  the  husbandman,  but  which  have  been 
re-producing  themselves  hereditarily,  or  lying  latent, 
ready  for  development  in  the  soil.  They  do  not  give 
value  to  the  true  wheat  of  Divine  truth,  but  cannot 
well  be  separated  from  it,  except  by  time,  or  the  great 
final  harvest,  till  when,  both  must  and  will  grow 
together,  inseparable  often  practically,  even  though  not 
indistinguishable  to  the  eye  of  the  Theologian. 

VII.  But  with  regard  now  to  those  truths  which  we 
must  suppose  it  to  be  the  great  object  of  the  Inspired 
writer  to  communicate,  we  can,  I  apprehend,  still  dis- 
tinguish between   the   truth   which    his  own  mind  was 


322  THE   HUMAN   ELEMENT 

specially  excited  to  perceive  and  to  express,  and  his 
expression  of  it,  which  latter,  owing  to  the  human 
element  in  him,  will  ever  be  more  or  less  imperfect. 
The  tooth  of  time  has  eaten  into  the  stone  work 
wrought  out  by  the  chisel  of  a  Phidias,  and  many  an 
Apollo  and  Hercules,  by  the  hand  of  a  rare  old  master, 
comes  down  to  us  rain  spotted  and  worn  from  its 
exposure  of  ages.  Yet  in  making  our  casts,  and  filling 
our  sculpture  galleries  with  copies  of  these,  we  prefer 
properly  to  retain  them  with  their  unsightly  ravages, 
and  not  to  attempt  the  restoration  of  them  to  what  we 
think  they  ought  to  be.  The  outline  of  figure  is  not 
injured  by  these  imperfections  ;  not  injured  as  it  would 
be  by  any  attempted  patchwork,  or  by  rubbing  down 
into  smoothness  the  whole  surface  of  the  original.  Yet 
this  is  what  is  daily  being  done  to  the  hopeless  dis- 
figurement of  the  proportion  and  beauty  of  the  whole, 
by  the  forced  Harmonists. 

VHI.  The  human  element  in  llic  Scriptures  then, 
while  not  destroying  their  divine  spirit  or  authority  as  a 
whole,  any  more  than  do  the  defects  of  the  lives  of 
the  Apostles,  clearly  admits  of  certain  imperfections. 
These  will  even  be  found  very  useful  in  their  final  pur- 
pose, exciting  within  us  a  conception  of  perfection, 
beyond  what  we  ever  find  realized  in  that  which  is 
written,  and  enticing  forward  our  minds  to  learn  more 
of  the  idea  of  God   than  any  mere  words  can  reveal 


LEAVES   ROOM   FOR   LMPERFECTIONS.  323 

They  lead  us  to  seek  knowledge  and  inspiration  from 
God's  other  manifestations  of  his  will,  and  thus  cause 
the  whole,  and  not  a  mere  part,  to  form  the  full  revela- 
tion of  God  to  man. 

If  then  the  statement  were  true  that  "  the  Bible,  and 
the  Bible  alone^  is  the  religion  of  Protestants,"  it  ought 
to  make  us  all  as  it  has  made  the  Puseyites,  pity 
Protestants,  not  indeed  for  the  glorious  revelation  they 
embrace,  but  for  the  other  glorious  revelations  of  the 
Divine  will,  which  they  ignore  and  reject.  It  might 
almost  tend  to  make  one  a  Papist,  as  it  has  done  many 
and  would  do  more,  did  we  not  find  the  Church  alone, 
(and  still  more,  any  one  sect  of  it,)  inferior  as  a  guide 
for  faith,  to  even  the  written  word  alone.  The  Protes- 
tants, however,  who  have  incorporated  into  the  words 
of  their  confession,  this  sort  of  reliance  upon  the  Bible 
"  afowe,"  are,  in  nearly  all  oases,  much  better  than  their 
creed.  None  have  more  personal  faith  in  the  teachings 
of  Providence,  of  conscience  and  of  the  Spirit  than  they. 
It  is  only  the  Church  that  is  excluded  at  the  utmost  by 
that  word  "  alone." 

IX.  Perhaps,  then,  a  truer  view  of  the  purpose  of 
these  holy  writings,  would  be  this :  that  when  we  have 
faithfully  studied  them,  in  connection  with  the  whole 
of  what  we  can  obtain  of  God's  other  revelations  of 
his  will,  we  may  arrive  at  truth  in  every  point  of  doc- 
trine,  duty    and    knowledge,   with    a    precision    and 


324  TRUE   REVELATION 

certainty  proportioned  to  our  necessities.  This  we 
clearly  cannot  obtain  from  any  part  of  God's  whole 
revealed  will,  while  turning  away  from  or  neglecting 
any  means  of  knowing  the  Divine  teachings  com- 
pletely. There  are  many  religious  truths  progressively 
revealed  by  Natural  Religion,  by  science  and  history, 
which  yet  cannot  be  learned  from  the  most  diligent 
study  of  the  Scriptures  alone.  Though  the  New  Tes- 
tament is  to  the  pious  mind  a  sort  of  supplement,  nay, 
more  a  key  to  the  religious  understanding  of  the  entire 
body  of  them. 

X.  God's  true  revelation,  as  a  whole,  expands  with 
each  age.  For  a  man  with  an  historic  Bible  in  his 
hand,  which  was  avowedly  growing  for  fifteen  hundred 
years,  to  assert,  without  the  least  proof,  that  revelation 
has  ceased  growing  ever  since  John  died,  and  that  all 
possible  advance  for  ever  more  is  impossible,  is  to 
declare,  what  is  so  contrary  to  all  the  analogy  of  God's 
other  works  and  teachings,  that  it  would  require  at 
least  a  special  and  miraculous  revelation  to  render  it 
credible.*  The  Jew  looked  backward  for  his  Paradise, 
but  the  Christian  loolis  forward  for  his.  He  who  com- 
pares the  books  of  the  New  Testament  with  the  mass 
of  the  writings  of  the  early  Fathers,  will  find  such  a 
new  life  in  them,  and  such  a  wide  separation  between 

*  See  Isaac  Taylor's  Ancient  Christianity  "  On  the  dependence  of 
the  Modern  Ciuirch  upon  the  Ancient,"  p.  50  Phil.  1810. 


EXPANDS    AND    GROWS.  325 

the  two,  that  he  will  be  in  little  danger  of  doubting  the 
inspiration  of  the  former,  for  they  will  inspire  him,  if 
a  Christian  man.  But  their  lustre  may  prevent  him 
from  seeing  the  true  value  and  inspiration  of  the  early 
Church  and  its  writings.  It  is  not,  however,  the  Past 
independently  of  the  Future,  that  is  finally  to  exhibit 
the  fullest  measures  of  God's  inspiring  Spirit  and  pres- 
ence, for, 

XL  The  Church  is  an  inspired,  a  living  and  a  grow- 
ing body.  There  has  ever  been  an  invisible  kingdom 
of  God  growing  up  amongst  men.  This  has  been 
through  time  thus  far,  and  it  shall  be  till  time  shall 
end,  growing  not  only  in  numbers,  but  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  God  and  the  practice  of  true  religion,  growing 
in  grace  and  in  higher,  holier  inspirations.  But  the 
New  Testament,  and  indeed  the  whole  of  the  Bible,  is 
now  thoughtlessly  held  by  many  Christians  to  be  in- 
spired as  the  Church  is  not,  and  as  even  the  Apostles 
were  not  inspired,  either  in  their  lives  or  in  their  per- 
sonal teachings.  And  this  view  has  been  pushed, 
to  the  exclusion  of  all  the  instructions  of  Natural 
Religion.  In  this  respect,  our  theology  has  retro- 
graded as  Protestantism  has  become  more  intensely 
and  antagonistic  to  Romanism. 

The  Church  is  not,  it  never  was,  and  never  will  be, 
an  infallible  body ;  but  it  is  a  living,  and  therefore  a 
growing  body,  exhibiting,  in  connection  with  its  earliest 


326  WHEKE   TO    FIND    INFALLIBILITY. 

and  holiest  writings,  and  a  perpetual  Providence  and 
influence,  God's  hand  in  the  world,  his  laws  more  and 
more  exactly  unfolded,  his  Paraclete  and  personal  pres- 
ence more  closely  drawing  near  and  walking  with  man 
again  in  the  garden  in  the  cool  of  the  day. 

To  aU  this  we  may  anticipate  one  objection.  Where, 
then,  shall  we  find  an  infallible  and  complete  Revela- 
tion ?  And  to  this  we  reply  franldy.  No  where  on 
earth.  The  Roman  Catholic  asks  the  same  question 
of  the  Protestant,  and  professes  to  find  it  in  the  teach- 
ings of  his  Church.  But  when  pressed,  that  body  of 
Christians  is  divided  as  to  where  the  final  solution  of 
diflficulties  is  to  be  sought,  —  whether  in  the  Pope,  for 
instance,  or  in  a  General  Council,  and  whether  the 
decisions  of  the  Council  of  Trent  are  or  are  not  bind- 
ina:  on  all  true  Catholics.  Meanwhile,  numerous  mis- 
takes  and  contradictions  of  all  tribunals  appealed  to, 
have  satisfied  Protestants  at  least,  that  it  is  not  to  be 
found  at  all  where  thus  claimed. 

The  Protestant  has  professed  to  find  this  guidance 
in  the  Bible  "  alone."  But  acknowledging  himself  but 
a  fallible  interpreter,  he  admits  that  it  is  only  the  spirit 
that  renders  the  book  such  a  guide  to  him,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  imperfect  measure  in  which  he  possesses  it. 
An  infallible  revelation  is  not  necessary  for  man,  and 
it  is  not  possible,  while  man  has  an  ever-changing  and 
progressive  nature.     It  is   an    ideal  thing,  which  can 


EUCLID.  327 

always  be  obtained  by  the  sincere  Cliristiau  with  suffi- 
cient accuracy  for  his  own  practical  guidance,  but  not 
theoretically,  or  for  all  other  ages  and  climes  any 
where.  It  is  as  mistaken  as  the  dream  of  the  Papal 
Church,  that  in  order  to  enjoy  Catholic  unity,  it  is 
necessary  to  have  a  universal  ecclesiastical  language. 

No  one  considers  infallibility  necessary  or  possible, 
practically,  in  any  other  branch  of  knowledge,  however 
vital ;  why,  then,  in  this,  the  most  profound  in  its 
researches,  abstract  in  its  essential  principles,  and  com- 
plicated in  its  details  of  them  all?  Even  in  mathe- 
matics, we  may  form  a  conception  of  a  circle,  or  a  tri- 
angle, but  who  ever  made  or  saw  a  perfect  circle,  or 
triangle,  or  straight  line  ?  And  who  would  talk  of  a 
final  and  complete  system  of  mathematics  ?  A  com- 
plete Revelation  is  possible  only  in  the  same  sense, 
and  to  the  same  extent,  as  an  infallible  and  perfect 
knowledge  of  any,  or  rather  of  every  other  science ; 
religion  being  the  most  comprehensive  and  the  most 
complicated  of  them  all. 

One  may  conceive  of  Euclid  standing  before  his  royal 
pupil  Ptolemy,  when  he  had  finished  his  immortal  work 
and  saying,  "  your  kingdom  will  pass  away.  Egypt 
will  become  a  heap  of  ruins  and  of  mummies.  Rome 
itself  will  fall.  New  arms  will  change  the  tactics  of 
war,  and  science  will  alter  the  arts  of  peace,  but  this 
book  contains  truths  that  will  live  as  long  as  time  lasts, 


328  THE   WORDS    OF   JESUS 

and  be  eternally  the  same,  while  space  itself  remains, 
and  their  dominion  over  men,  increasingly  recognized 
as  civilization  progresses." 

Jesus  stood  before  the  wise  men  and  philosophers, 
and  brought  a  system  of  absolute  religious  truth  from 
heaven  to  earth,  from  God  to  man,  and  he  says, 
"  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my  words 
shall  not  pass  away."  But  it  was  ever  intended 
that  both  alike  should  grow  in  all  their  projections 
into  the  future. 

However  ignorant  a  man  may  be  of  external  evi- 
dences, if  he  begins  to  live  a  Christian  life,  he  will 
find  himself  at  once  brought  into  accord  with  the 
eternal  laws  of  being  and  of  his  own  nature  as  noth- 
ing else  will  bring  him.  When  Jesus  stood  before 
that  solid  marble  temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  declared 
that  his  words  should  never  pass  away  though  it 
should  crumble,  the  Roman  arms  were  doing  for 
Judaism  what  civil  vv^ar  and  science  have  been  doing 
for  our  country  and  age,  i.  c.  breaking  up  and  un- 
settling old  and  cherished  opinions.  That  was  an 
age  of  lingering  superstition  among  the  people,  and 
of  wide  spread  scepticism  among  the  priests,  the  rulers 
and  all  the  men  of  thought  and  power.  Two  thou- 
sand years  have  since  then  rolled  by,  and  the  Roman 
nation  has  passed  away,  and  all  the  then  existing 
dynasties  have  passed  away ;  ages,  fashions,  customs, 


UNSURPASSABLE.  329 

opinions,  all  have  gone,  but  He  who  sat  then  King 
upon  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  his  words,  and  his 
throne  have  not  passed  away.  His  kingdom  in  relig- 
ion, as  Euclid's  in  mathematics,  is  more  extended  than 
ever. 

There   are    some   things,   thank    God,   that     never 
change.     Some  truths  arc  so  elementary  and  absolute, 
that  they   cannot  be  simplified,  just  as  there  are  some 
substances   in    nature,  so   perfectly   pure   and  uncom- 
poundcd,  that  they  never  can  be  reduced  to  anything 
more  elementary,  and  are  therefore  indestructible.     So 
it  is  with  pure  religion,  or  what  is  the  same  thing,  true 
and  absolute  Christianity.     Our  Saviour  claims  for  his 
words,  just   this   kind  of  abstract   immutable   quality. 
Heaven  and  earth  are  all   complex,  mutable  and  there- 
fore  destructible,  but   those  words   which   reveal   the 
ultimate  laws  of  God  and  abstract  truth,  are  eternal. 
When  we  obtain  knowledge  only  by  the  instruction  of 
others,  we  are  never  perfectly  certain  of  its  correctness, 
but  when   it  is  reduced   to  an  inward   perception,  an 
intuition,  wc   also  know  that  it  can  never  be  shaken.  * 
The  school-boy  learns  his  multiplication  table  by  mem- 
ory, and  so  long  as  it  is  thus  only  learned,  he  knows 
not  but  what  there  may  be  some   error  in  the  printing 
and  he  may  be  learning  it  all  wrong,  or  but  that  some 
new  discovery  may  change  it.     But  when  he  sees  by 
an   inward    perception    of    immutable    relations    that 


330  EXTERNAL   EVIDENCES   FIRST, 

twice  two  must  make  four  and  ten  times  ten  are  one 
hundred,  he  never  again  can  fear  that  the  progress  of 
Mathematical  science  will  push  that  aside  as  untrue  or 
absurd ;  for  so  long  as  the  relations  of  numbers  con- 
tinue, so  long  must  that  certainty  remain  whatever  else 
changes.  He  has  seen  by  an  inward  vision  of 
his  own,  its  correspondence  with  eternal  truth  and 
its  relations. 

And  so,  if  some  person  should  assert  that  bye  and 
bye  in  the  progress  of  things,  lying  and  fraud  would  be 
proved  to  be  virtues,  and  truth  and  honesty,  crimes,'  it 
would  only  convince  each  wise  and  moral  man,  that  he 
who  made  such  an  assertion,  understood  nothing  of 
morals.  And  it  is  by  just  such  a  certain  and  clear 
inward  perception,  that  the  Christian's  experience  as- 
sures him  at  last,  and  beyond  all  words,  of  the 
immutability  of  pure  Christianity. 

Men  usually  begin  by  receiving  the  New  Testament 
on  its  external  evidences,  just  as  the  school-boy  begins 
to  learn  his  multiplication  table  mechanically  out  of 
his  book.  And  the  one  continues  to  be  about  as  dull 
as  the  other  so  long  as  only  thus  received.  Nor  does 
such  a  person  thus  obtain  any  certainty,  but  what  some 
stronger  evidence  may  arise  upon  the  other  side,  and 
overthrow  his  faith ;  for  there  may  be  some  flaw  in  a 
link  of  his  historical  chain  of  authorities,  some  hidden 
fault,  and  the  strength  of  any  chain  is  only  that  of  its 


INTERNAL   AFTFRWARDS.  331 

weakest  —  not  its  strongest  link.  Or  new  facts  may 
come  to  light,  or  new  discoveries  of  science  or  history, 
and  upset  the  whole.  So  he  must  live  in  perpetual 
doubt,  and  conflict  against  science,  history,  providence. 

But  he  who  walks  with  God,  and  experiences  the 
power  of  grace,  and  lives  in  the  truths  of  Christianity, 
knows  that  the  religion  of  Jesus  is  no  dream  or  de- 
lusion. He  may  meet  with  a  thousand  specious 
objections  that  he  cannot  answer,  but  he  has  an  evi- 
dence within  himself  that  nothing  can  shake. 

The  lad  who  studies  his  Euclid  aright,  will  very 
soon  get  intellectually  to  such  a  point,  that  if  you 
should  attempt  to  prove  to  him  no  such  person  as 
Euclid  ever  existed,  or  that  half  of  these  demonstra- 
tions were  in  use  before,  or  that  the  whole  book  is  but 
an  invention  of  subsequent  times  to  which  an  ancient 
name  had  been  attached,  though  he  might  not  know 
enough  of  history  to  refute  you,  he  would  reply,  "  one 
thing  I  know  by  an  inward  perception,  that  it  is  all 
immutably  and  indestructibly  true.  Thus  also,  is  the 
Christian  assm-ed  of  the  worth  of  the  fourth  gospel  no 
less  than  the  three  synoptics,  and  of  the  book  of  Rev- 
elation as  well  as  Paul's  Epistles. 

It  is  in  this  way,  and  in  this  sense,  that  Christian 
men  feel  and  know  by  an  inward  experience,  that 
Christ  is  the  Rock  of  Ages  against  which  all  waves  of 
time  and  change  dash  harmlessly,  and  the  chief  corner 


332  THE   LIVING   TEiMPLE. 

stone  of  that  great  and  living  temple,  the  Church,  in 
which  God  dwells  and  walks  with  man  again  on  earth. 
On  it,  the  Apostles,  laboring  together,  wrought  as  wise 
master  builders,  laying  the  foundations.  On  it,  holy- 
men,  saints  and  reformers  have  labored  ever  since, 
building  with  various  successes,  some  of  hay,  wood 
and  stubble,  and  some  of  gold,  silver  and  precious 
stones.  And  this  building  still  ^'- groioeth''''  unto  a 
holy  temple,  for  an  habitation  of  God,  through  the 
Spirit.  Here  we  enjoy  the  presence  of  Jesus,  and  the 
enlightening  and  comfort  of  the  Paraclete.  All  form 
parts  of  God's  revelation  of  himsel^ito  man,  reason 
and  conscience  begin  the  work  of  Natural  Religion,  all 
history,  all  Providence,  all  experience,  no  less  truly 
than  the  written  word,  forming  parts  of  the  great 
Revelation  in  which  even  men  first  enlightened  them- 
selves, reflect  in  turn  through  the  Church  the  light  of 
eternal  truth  to  others.  Just  as  the  moon  and  planets 
though  naturally  opaque  substances,  reflect  back  on 
other  worlds  the  light  they  have  received  from  the 
sun,  so  do  the  Redeemed  of  all  ages  contribute  to 
our  faith;  and  thus  the  Bible,  the  Spirit  and  the 
Church  are  not  separated  but  made  tributary  to  the 
onward  progress  of  Revelation,  Inspiration,  Christianity 
in  the  earth. 


RELIGIOUS   DEMONINATIONS.  333 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

THE    BEARING  OF  THE    WHOLE  ON  EXISTING    RELIGIOUS 
EFFORTS    AND   DENOMINATIONS. 

IF  the  views  before  advanced  are  correct,  the  great 
fault  of  Roman  Catholicism  has  been,  not  claim- 
ing that  the  true  Church  is  a  perpetually  Inspired 
body ;  but  that  because  Inspired,  it  is  therefore  Infal- 
lible, infallible  especially  in  that  exclusiveness  u'hich 
has  led  it  to  excommunicate  some  of  the  most  intelli- 
gent and  living  portions  of  the  true  and  Universal 
Church. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  great  error  of  Protestantism 
has  been  in  supposing  that  the  Bible  because  inspired, 
was  therefore  necessarily  infallible,  and  especially  in 
believing  this  book  "  alone  "  a  complete  guide,  to  the 
exclusion  of  all  other  revelations  and  sources  of  spirit- 
ual improvement. 

Infidelity   has  made   the  still  worse  mistake  of  re- 


334  UNIVERSAL   RELIGION   THE   BASIS 

garding  both  the  Christian  Scriptures  and  the  Christian 
Church,  not  only  as  fallible,  but  as  false  instead  of, 
though  containing  errors,  yet,  living  and  therefore 
progressive  developments  of  religious  truths,  and  sin- 
cere and  earnest  efforts  to  adapt  eternal  verities  to  the 
nature,  times  and  circumstances  of  particular  ages  and 
races.  It  is  this  shallow  conceit  of  Infidelity  that  has 
made  it  throw  its  whole  efforts  into  antagonism  to  the 
wisest  and  best  men  of  each  age,  made  it  negative 
instead  of  positive,  and  always  quarrelling  with  and 
fighting  against  the  good,  instead  of  working  with  it, 
and  making  it  better. 

The  true  view  is  that  while  there  is  a  perpetual 
approach  towards  more  absolute  and  exact  views  of 
theological  and  religious  truth  in  each  age,  as  in  other 
sciences,  yet  but  little  of  our  knowledge  can  be  called 
final,  nor  can  it  be  considered  in  any  respect  complete 
in  expression  as  regards  the  forces,  causes,  consequences, 
or  Divine  purposes  connected  with  our  religious  life  here. 

Yet  we  are  so  created,  that  religion  is  necessarily  not 
only  a  part  of  our  nature,  but  the  Supreme  and  ruling 
portion  of  it;  the  chief  instinct  and  of  increasing  power 
in  proportion  as  man  rises  to  the  pure  and  spiritual 
Being  which  the  Heavenly  Father  intended  him  to 
become. 

The  teachings  of  Universal  Religion  are,  therefore, 
the  fundamental  basis  of  all  true  politics,  forming  the 


OF   TRUE   POLITICS.  335 

principles  of  wise  and  just  laws.  While  the  separation 
of  Church  and  State  is  well,  and  the  most  perfect 
freedom  of  religious  opinions  desirable,  yet  Religion 
as  such,  is  the  necessary  and  eternal  basis  of  all  true 
government.  Christianity  is  essentially  a  remedial  sys- 
tem and  its  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.  But  the 
eternal  principles  of  religion  and  therefore  of  Chris- 
tianity, so  far  as  coincident  with  them,  belong  to  man 
in  all  his  relations.  Christianity  has  nowhere  directly 
forbidden  cither  polygamy  or  slavery.  It  permitted 
each  in  practice  merely  teaching  that  "  from  the  begin- 
ning it  was  not  so,"  and  was  to  be  tolerated  only  in 
deference  to  the  imperfections  of  then  existing  systems. 
And  they  have  not  been*  destroyed  by  any  violent 
crusade  from  without,  but  by  the  working  of  certain 
antagonistic  principles  of  universal  religion  within. 
These  have  caused  them  to  disappear  by  degrees,  as 
leading  to  results  incongruous  with  the  highest  and 
best  teachings  of  humanity  and  religion. 

But  the  Church,  though  a  voluntary  society,  is  yet 
Divinely  appointed  for  the  cultivation  of  the  Religious 
life  on  the  basis  of  Christianity.  There  may,  of  course, 
be  other  societies  for  the  culture  of  certain  special 
virtues,  such  as  temperance,  or  particular  benevolences, 
or  for  the  study  of  Universal  Religion,  —  pure  theism. 
These  need  not  be  antagonistic  to  Christian  Churches, 
and  ought  not  to  be  considered  necessarily  so  in  their 


336  THE    VIEWS    OF 

ends  or  means,  nor  need  union  with  any  one  preclude 
fellowship  with  others. 

In  the  most  ancient  times,  and  again  in  the  most 
modern,  some  have  attempted  rigidly  to  draw  the 
line  between  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  and  that  of  his 
Apostles.  Dr.  Priestly,  indeed,  considered  not  only 
that  the  reasonings  of  St.  Paul  were  in  parts  incon- 
sequential, but  that  Jesus  was  a  mere  man,  "  peccable 
and  fallible."  Yet  many,  perhaps  most  of  the  mod- 
ern Unitarians  would  probably  be  disposed  to  make 
a  distinction  just  there.  Without  considering  the 
teachings  of  the  Apostles  absolutely  final  as  to  what 
is  pure  Christian  doctrine,  the  instructions  of  Jesus, 
so  far  as  they  can  be  distinctly  ascertained  are  so 
considered  and  believed  to  be  of  binding  authority. 

The  great  mass  of  the  so-called  Orthodox  Con- 
.gregationalists,  Presbyterians  and  Baptists,  arc  ac- 
customed to  regard  the  entire  teachings  of  the  New 
Testament  as  a  finality ;  those  of  the  Apostles  as 
perfect  and  equal  in  authority  to  those  of  Jesus  Christ, 
but  deny  similar  weight  to  the  teachings  of  the  Church 
or  \\Titers  of  any  period  at  all  subsequent. 

With  most  of  the  Episcopalians,  however,  the  teach- 
ings of  Christ  and  his  Apostles  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment together  with  the  Fathers  of  the  first  four 
centuries,  seem    to    constitute    the    authoritative  dec- 


VARIOUS   DENOMINATIONS.  337 

laration  of  what  Christianity  is."  The  Greek  Church 
includes  even  more  than  tliis;  —  the  decision  of  the 
first  seven  Ecumenical  Councils,  concluding  with  that 
held  by  Photius  in  Constatinople  in  879-80. 

The  Roman  Catholic  considers  Christianity  an 
equally  living,  growing  authoritative  system  in  all 
ages.  Christ,  the  Apostles,  and  their  successors  are 
alike  exponents  of  what  Christianity  is,  and  the  Pope 
as  the  successor  of  St.  Peter  and  the  centre  of  Unity, 
is  in  their  viev/  the  Vicar  of  Christ  upon  the  earth. 

Each  of  these  various  opinions  sincerely  upheld 
have  been  useful  as  presenting  different  and  interest- 
ing aspects  of  Christianity  with  particular  prominence.; 
each,  however,  imperfect  and  needing  to  be  corrected 
by  reason  and  by  each  other.  But  all  such  reasoning 
must  be  founded  on  the  authority  cither  of  those 
intuitions  which  form  the  basis  of  Natural  Religion, 
or  those  various  Revelations  which  come  to  us 
through  the  Scriptures,  the  Paraclete,  Divine  Provi- 
dence, or  the  teachings  of  the  Church. 

For  the  State.,  there  are  certain  principles  of  Uni- 
versal Religion,  as  of  morality,  (the  last  forming  a 
part  of  it,)  contrary  to  which,  nothing  can  rightly  be 
enacted,  or  stand,  but  to  uphold  and  support  which, 
by  suitable  means,  is  the  true  duty  and  policy  of 
every  government ;  while  all  things  should   of  course 

*  See  Gary's  "  Testimony  of  the  Fathers,"  —  Preface,  p.  32. 
15 


338  CHRISTIANITY    AND    THE   STATE. 

be  left  as  free  as  possible,  so  as  to  develop  the  spon- 
taneity of  the  human  affections  in  choosing  the  right, 
the  true,  the  just,  the  beautiful  and  the  holy. 

There  ought  to  be  and  there  will  be  a  large  and 
increasing  class  of  men  of  the  highest  moral  and  re- 
ligious character,  who  will  desire  to  cultivate  religious 
knowledge  in  this  most  strictly  and  exclusively  sci- 
entific aspect,  as  the  true  basis  of  legislation  for  this 
country,  and  the  wisest  for  all  mankind,  and  they  ought 
to  have  liberty  to  do  so  fully  and  freely. 

Daniel  Webster  in  his  argument  on  the  Girard  Will 
case,  however,  took  a  different  view,  and  maintained 
that  Christianitij  was  a  part  of  the  law  and  public 
policy  of  Pennsylvania,  it  having  been  a  part  of  those 
of  England,  and  of  all  Christian  nations,  so  that  no 
public  Charity  can  be  supported  as  such  by  the  com- 
mon law  of  England,  except  it  be  a  Christian  Charity 
in  its  essential  spirit.  I  have  carefully  studied  his 
argument  on  this  subject,  but  would  observe  first, 
that  the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  sustains  the 
Girard  Will,  to  break  which  was  the  object  of  his 
speech  ;  second,  that  the  argument  though  abundantly 
proving  that  religion  of  some  kind  is  the  Jiatural  and 
necessary  basis  of  the  laws  of  every  State,  and  thus 
reflects  the  governing  ideas  of  the  people  on  that  sub- 
ject, yet  this  does  not  prove  that  Cliristianity  should  be 
the   basis   of  civil  law,  but  rather  that  those  universal 


CHURCH   AND    STATE.  339 

principles  of  religion  belonging  to  man  as  man  in  every 
age  and  climate,  should  be  the  fountain  of  all  the 
legislation  of  states  and  nations ;  third,  that  this  whole 
argument  of  Webster  is  built  upon  a  special  clause  of 
the  Constitution  of  Pennsylvania,  in  which  it  differs 
from  that  of  nearly  all  the  other  States,  and  especially 
from  that  of  the  United  States,  which  was  amended 
on  purpose  to  declare  that  "  Congress  shall  make  no 
law  respecting  an  establishment  of  religion,  or  prohibit- 
ing that  free  exercise  thereof,  or  abridging  the  freedom 
of  speech  or  of  the  press."  In  expounding  what  this 
clause  means.  Judge  Story  says,  "  the  right  of  a  so- 
ciety or  government  to  interfere  in  matters  of  religion, 
will  hardly  be  contested  by  any  persons  w4io  believe 
that  piety,  religion  and  morality  are  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  well  being  of  a  State,  and  indispensa- 
ble to  the  adraiifistration  of  civil  justice.  The 
promulgation  of  the  great  doctrines  of  religion,  the 
being,  the  attributes,  the  providence  of  one  Almighty 
God,  the  responsibility  to  him  for  all  our  actions, 
founded  upon  moral  accountability,  a  future  state  of 
rewards  and  punishments,  the  cultivation  of  all  the 
personal,  social  and  benevolent  virtues;  —  these  can 
never  be  a  matter  of  indifference  in  any  well  ordered 
community.  Indeed,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  how 
any  civilized  society  can  well  exist  without  them. 
*         *         *         This  is  a  matter  wlioUy  distinct  from 


340  JUDGE   STORY   ON   CHRISTIANITY 

that  of  private  judgment  in  matters  of  religion,  and 
the  freedom  of  public  worship,  according  to  the  dic- 
tates of  one's  conscience.  The  real  difficulty  lies  in 
ascertaining  the  limits  to  which  government  may 
rightfully  go  in  fostering  and  encouraging  religion. 
*         *         *  Probably  at  the  time  of  the   adoption 

of  the  Constitution,  and  of  the  amendment  to  it,  now 
under  consideration,  the  general  if  not  the  universal 
sentiment  in  America  was,  that  Christianity  ought  to 
receive  encouragement  from  the  State,  so  far  as  such 
encouragement  was  not  incompatible  with  the  private 
rights  of  conscience,  and  the  freedom  of  religious 
worship.  An  attempt  to  level  all  religions,  and  to 
make  it  a  matter  of  State  policy  to  hold  all  in  utter 
indifference,  would  have  created  universal  disapproba- 
tion, if  not  universal  indifrnation." 

Probably  the  clause  respecting  freedom  as  to  relig- 
ion, can  be  best  illustrated  by  the  next  sentence  as  to 
the  freedom  of  speech  or  of  the  press.  The  prohibition 
of  abridging  liberty  of  speech,  or  of  the  press,  docs 
not  secure  an  absolute  right  to  every  individual  to 
speak,  or  print,  or  write  whatever  he  might  please, 
without  any  responsibility,  public  or  private.  That 
would  allow  each  citizen  to  destroy  at  pleasure,  the 
peace,  reputation,  property  and  safety  of  every  other, 
and  corrupt  society  by  obscene  and  immoral  publica- 
tions.    But  the  meaning  is,  that  every  man    shall  have 


AND   THE   CONSTITUTION.  341 

a  right  to  speak,  write  and  print  his  opinions  on  any 
subject,  without  prior  restraint,  so  that  he  does  not 
injure  any  other  person  in  his  rights,  or  disturb  public 
peace,  or  attempt  to  subvert  government  or  good 
morals. 

So,  therefore,  in  prohibiting  the  establishment  of 
religion  and  all  restraints  on  the  free  exercise  thereof, 
it  is  the  free  exercise  of  religion.,  not  irrcUgion,  which 
may  not  be  restrained,  and  this  clearly  supposes  that 
there  is  an  absolute  and  eternal  religion  belonging  to 
man  as  man,  and  which,  therefore,  is  not  to  be  con- 
founded with  the  immoral  teachings  of  the  Mormons, 
and  such  persons  against  whom  the  United  States' 
laws  of  marriage  rightly  operate  as  a  restraint.  The 
Chinese  has  a  right  to  build  temples,  and  offer  incense, 
and  the  Persian  to  worship  the  sun,  and  the  Turk  to 
spread  his  carpet  and  erect  his  INIosque  in  honor  of 
Mohammedanism  in  the  United  States.  But  if  the 
Turk  attempt  to  practice  polygamy,  the  United  States' 
law  may  restrain  him,  and  the  basis  of  that  law  is, 
that  it  is  contrary  to  natural  religion,  and  therefore  to 
public  policy.  The  experience  of  these  last  few  years 
has  demonstrated  to  our  people,  that  the  same  thing  is 
true  of  slavery,  and  thcrcifore  its  prohibition  has  been  in- 
troduced into  the  Constitution  itself. 

Lactantius,   in    his   Divine    Institutions,  (6 :  8,)  has 
preserved  to  us  some  admirable  teachings  of  Cicero  on 


342  CICERO    ON    RELIGION 

this  subject.  "  Law,  properly  understood,  is  no  other 
than  right  reason,  agreeing  with  nature,  spread  abroad 
among  all  men,  ever  consistent  with  itself,  eternal; 
whose  office  is  to  summon  to  duty  by  its  commands, 
to  deter  from  vice  by  its  prohibitions,  which  however  to 
the  good  never  commands  or  forbids  in  vain,  never 
influences  the  wicked  either  by  commanding  or  forbid- 
ding. In  contradiction  to  this  law,  nothing  can  be  laid 
down,  nor  does  it  admit  of  partial  or  entire  repeal.  Nor 
can  we  be  released  from  this  law,  either  by  vote  of  the, 
senate  or  decree  of  the  people.  Nor  does  it  require 
any  commentator  or  interpreter  beside  itself.  Nor  will 
there  be  one  law  at  Athens  and  another  at  Rome,  — 
one  now  and  another  hereafter,  —  but  one  eternal,  im- 
mutable law  will  both  embrace  all  nations  and  all 
times.  And  there  will  be  one  common  Master,  as  it 
were,  and  Ruler  of  all,  namely  God,  the  great  Orig- 
inator, Expositor,  Enactor  of  this  law,  which  law,  who- 
ever will  not  obey,  will  be  flying  from  himself,  and 
having  treated  with  contempt  his  human  nature,  will 
in  that  very  fact  pay  the  greatest  penalty,  even  if  he 
shall  have  escaped  other  punishments,  as  they  are  com- 
monly considered." 

We  say,  then,  that  in  this  country,  and  in  this  age, 
and  with  our  Constitution,  while  Christianity,  as  such, 
is  not,  and  cannot  be  established  as  a  national  religion, 
yet  that  our  Christianity,  so  far  as  it  is  the  expression 


AND    LAW.  343 

of  the  great  truths  of  universal  religion,  and  of  the  true 
remedy  for  offences  against  it,  is  of  necessity  the  basis 
of  all  our  laws.  The  great  and  immortal  truths  they 
contain  give  their  perpetuity  to  the  laws  of  Moses. 
And  it  ought  to  be  the  study  of  our  wisest  legislators, 
and  philosophers,  and  divines,  to  show  from  experi- 
ence, from  the  history  of  legislation,  and  of  all  various 
religions  true  and  false,  but  especially  Christianity, 
what  are  the  eternal  teachings  or  laws  of  universal 
religion  on  all  subjects,  and  so  to  prove  these  teach- 
ings as  to  cause  them  to  be  reduced  to  the  settled  cus- 
toms, institutions,  education,  and  law  of  the  land. 
Religion  and  law  must,  moreover,  both  of  them,  be 
historicaUy  developed.  They  are  growths  of  man's 
moral  and  spiritual  nature.  Thus  much  for  the  rela- 
tions of  Christianity  to  the  State. 

But  now  the  question  remains,  What  must  be  the 
effects  of  the  views  of  Inspiration  we  have  seen  alone 
tenable,  upon  the  different  religious  denominations  of 
our  land,  most  of  which  Iiave  been  more  or  less  affected 
by  what  Coleridge  calls  Bibliolatry  ? 

In  some  respects,  it  might  at  first  appear  as  if  they 
were  about  to  tend  towards  Unitarian  and  in  others, 
to  Roman  Catholic  views.  The  Unitarians  have  been 
right  in  asserting  that  the  written  teachings  of  the 
Apostles  were  not  necessarily  or  absolutely  infallible, 
any  more  than  their  Uvcs  or  verbal  instructions,  and 


344  UNITARIANS   AND 

their  free  yet  devout  examination  of  the  Scripture?  in 
the  light  of  Natural  Religion,  is  worthy  of  the  greatest 
commendation.  Dr.  Pye  Smith,  in  his  work  on  the 
Person  of  the  Messiah,  while  in  the  first  edition  he 
severely  denounces  Dr.  Priestly  for  his  sentiments  on 
this  subject,  ends  in  later  editions,  as  we  have  seen,  in 
earnestly  pleading  against  his  own  denomination  for 
more  liberal  views  on  Inspiration. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  Unitarianism,  so  far  as  it,  in 
common  with  many,  perhaps  most  other  Protestant 
denominations,  has  set  itself  against  Church  authority 
and  reverence  for  that  growth  of  Christian  doctrine  and 
moral  teachings  which  has  arisen  from  ages  of  expe- 
rience and  traditionary  practice,  has  cut  itself  off  from 
one  chief  source  alike  of  conservatism  and  of  safe  pro- 
gress, i.  c.  experience,  and  exhausted  much  vital  force  in 
theorizing.  In  many  respects,  it  is  free  from  preju- 
dices, and  is  broad  and  noble,  enquiring  and  progres- 
sive. It  has  produced  writings  on  morals,  of  a  tone, 
beauty  and  thoroughness  which  are  admirable.  It  has 
given  a  style  and  tone,  and  universality  of  culture 
to  many  of  the  writers  of  New  England,  that  have 
brought  together  the  best  results  of  philosophy  and 
Christianity,  and  made  the  world  feel  their  harmony. 
But  so  far,  its  effects  have  been  confined  chiefly  to 
writing.  As  a  religious  denomination,  its  congi'ega- 
lions  and  churches  have  diminished,  and  been  poorly 


ORTHODOX   CHRISTIANS.  B45 

attended,  its  members  scattered,  and  it  has  not  pre- 
sented enough  of  old  established  and  positive  religion 
to  feed  the  masses  of  the  people.  It  has  occupied 
itself  too  much  with  negations  instead  of  positive 
truths.  It  has  been  anxious  to  limit  its  contempla- 
tions too  much  to  the  finite,  while  man  never  works  so 
naturally  or  successfully  as  when  grasping  after  the 
infinite  and  the  eternal.  The  immensity  of  our  late 
national  strviggle  has  done  its  adherents  the  greatest 
good,  infusing  a  life  and  vigor  into  their  movements, 
unknown  before,  making  them  more  practical,  instead 
of  merely  theoretic,  and  their  religion  the  working 
Christianity  of  Him  who  went  about  doing  good, 
while  actuated  by  faith  in  right  and  justice  and  other 
eternal  verities.  The  Sanitary  Commission  is  one  of 
its  noblest  products. 

With  regard  to  the  particular  questions  at  issue 
between  the  Unitarians  and  Orthodox  Christians,  the 
views  of  Inspiration  which  have  been  advanced  will 
of  course  concede  this,  that  instead  of  now  insistinor 
that  each  passage  of  Scripture  must  be  interpreted  in 
a  manner  perfectly  consistent  with  every  other,  and 
taken  in  a  sense  that  will  make  it  harmonious  with  the 
whole,  it  is  clear  that  we  must  weigh  the  language  of 
each  writer  by  itself,  and  may  consider  whether  even 
the  same  writer  is  always  quite  consistent  with  him- 
self.    This  Neandcr  has  felt  at  liberty  to  do  on  many 


346  UNITAKIANS   AND 

points,  and  discriminates  the  Pauline  from  the  Petrine 
view,  and  that  of  John  in  his  "  Planting  and  Training," 
with  great  suggestiveness.  But  then  this  system  of 
interpretation,  to  be  properly  carried  out,  requires  a 
much  more  accurate  study  of  an  author's  words,  and 
of  the  history  of  pre-existing  views  in  the  community 
to  which  they  were  addressed,  than  has  been  customary 
by  any  class  ;  and  it  is  here  that  new  and  higher  ideas 
will  lead,  and  are  leading  many  Unitarians  to  a  greater 
similarity  of  views  with  many  Orthodox,  as  to  the 
sense  of  Scripture.  Yet  others  are  going  off  more 
nearly  to  a  simple  Theism  and  the  elimination  of  all 
that  is  super-humanitarian  from  their  Christianity. 

Of  this,  at  least,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  while 
the  post-Nicene  and  ante-Nicene  Fathers  may  both 
be  examined  as  witnesses  of  the  general  belief  of 
the  Church,  their  controversial  forms  of  expression, 
founded  on  all  sorts  of  imperfect  interpretations  of 
Scripture,  cannot  be  final  or  binding  upon  us.  There 
must  be  a  greater  breadth  and  charity  in  all  our  creeds 
and  all  our  churches.  Most  of  the  conservative  portion 
of  the  Unitarians  seem  to  feel  increasingly,  not  only 
that  Christianity  is  a  Divinely  inspired  system,  but 
its  Author  and  Head  is  not  to  be  regarded  as  merely 
human  and  fallible,  but  as  a  truly  divine  and  final 
Authority  as  to  Christianity  itself  Some  do  this  in 
the    Sabellian    sense,    which    also    ap|:)ears    to    be    the 


ROMAN   CATHOLICS.  347 

essence  of  Dr.  Bushnell's  God  in  Christ.  In  fact,  the 
modes  of  expression  and  views  of  the  Orthodox  and 
Unitarians  often  now  approach  so  nearly  to  each  other 
in  their  mutual  dread  of  those  who  would  do  away  all 
that  is  final  and  authoritative  from  Christianity,  that  it 
is  impossible  to  draw  a  line  of  distinction  that  shall 
bar  then*  intercourse  and  exchange  of  views,  without 
great  mischief  to  both  parties  equally. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Roman  Catholics,  in  com- 
ing to  this  country,  have  lost  much  of  their  Roman- 
ism, and  are  daily  losing  more.  Their  extreme 
veneration  for  the  priesthood  wears  rapidly  away,  and 
Priests  and  people  arc  becoming  more  truly  Catholic, 
well  educated  and  progi'cssive.  Indeed  the  Pope  him- 
self in  proportion  as  he  is  losing  his  temporal  power, 
has  lately,  it  is  said,  become  more  enlarged  and 
charitable  in  discipline.  In  order  to  win  back  the 
Greek  Church,  not  under  the  Russian  Patriarchite  to 
Papal  unity,  it  was  said  he  had  consented  to  allow  the 
Priests  of  that  branch  to  be  man-ied  men,  a  reforma- 
tion, it  is  to  be  hoped,  that  may  be  extended  to  other 
sections  of  that  Communion  also.  The  lines  of  dis- 
tinction between  the  Roman  Catholics  and  the  more 
ritualistic  and  energetic  portion  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  are  daily  diminishing,  so  that  to  what  extent 
the  Romish  Church  may  be  eventually  modified,  it 
seems  impossible  to  conjecture. 


348  CIIUllCH    AUTHORITY 

The  views  of  Inspiration  we  have  discussed,  have 
certainly  led  to  great  desires  for  the  introduction  of  the 
element  of  a  positive  Church  authority,  in  proportion 
as  the  old  literal  faith  in  the  verbal  inspiration  of  the 
written  word  of  Scripture  has  given  way.  This  was 
unquestionably  the  process  by  which  Dr.  Pusey  him- 
self was  led  to  his  present  position,  and  it  has  been  at 
Oxford,  the  basis  of  the  High  Church  movement.  It 
is  the  chief  reason  why,  among  thinking  persons 
of  all  classes,  who  wish  for  a  practical  religion  in 
which  to  bring  up  their  children,  not  contrary  to 
reason,  yet  not  resting  on  the  individual  reason  alone, 
independently  of  Authority,  so  many  'have  become 
Episcopalians. 

There  is,  therefore,  every  reason  to  believe  that 
this  movement  will  increase  in  proportion  as  larger 
numbers  of  educated  persons  adopt  modern  views 
on  the  subject  of  Inspiration.  As  people  are  more 
educated,  they  see  and  feel  the  advantages  of  the 
division  of  labor,  and  are  therefore  more  willing, 
when  they  get  the  best  advice  from  those  who  have 
studied  any  subject  most  thoroughly,  to  accord  to  the 
adviser  a  degree  of  authority  which  more  superficial 
persons  accord  to  their  own  reasons  alone.  Hence 
there  is  a  voluntary  yielding  of  the  judgment  to 
Church  authority,  both  natural,  wise  and  increasing 
with  intellectual  and  moral  culture,  which  has  thus  far 


INCLUDES   THE   WHOLE   BODY.  349 

led  many  to  join  those  who  have  pleaded  for  it  most 
directly.  The  experience  of  many  ages  in  an  un- 
broken line,  though  not  essential,  is  yet  a  great  recom- 
mendation to  any  system  of  practical  guidance.  It  is 
this  that  has  led  the  powerful  intellect  of  Brounson 
into  the  bosom  even  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church, 
and  thousands  of  others  in  England  and  in  this  coun- 
try. 

But  after  all,  what  is  the  Church  properly  consid- 
ered, for  whose  authority  so  much  may  be  claimed  ? 
The  Church  properly  is  the  whole  body,  laity  and 
clergy  together,  not  the  clergy  alone,  much  less  the 
clergy  of  any  one  sect.  Our  Christianity  is  the  voice 
and  testimony  and  experience  of  all  Christians,  mod- 
ern even  more  than  ancient,  because  the  experience  of 
the  former  is  the  result  of  all  the  wisdom  and  piety  of 
the  latter,  and  therefore  more  reliable.  The  opinions 
of  the  excommunicated  and  excommunicating  sects 
are  often  alike  to  be  weighed.  Dr.  Channing's  view  is 
more  important  than  that  of  Pope  Pius  the  Ninth, 
and  those  of  the  laity  are  as  valuable  on  many  points 
as  those  of  the  priesthood.  Each  one  will  be  right  in 
many  things,  where  the  others  will  be  wroiig.  Every 
one  will  suggest  much,  and  it  is  the  province  of  reason 
to  exercise  a  sound,  critical  faculty,  and  decide  the 
claims  to  his  obedience  amid  apparent  conflicts  of  the 
authorities.     But  that  the  Church,  that  is  the  experi- 


350  EPISCOPALIANS. 

ence  of  the  best  informed  Christians,  on  any  subject  is 
and  ever  must  be  one  great  authority,  to  each  individ- 
ual, there  can  be  no  doubt.  It  is  here  perhaps  in  the 
absence  of  respect  for  Church  authority,  that  the 
Unitarians  have  seemed  most  defective,  and  the 
Roman  Catholics  and  High  Churchmen  most  super- 
abounding.  They  stand  in  natural  antagonism.  The 
Unitarians  have  proved  profound  moral  philosophers, 
and  admirable  guides  to  the  State  in  all  questions  of 
natural  right  and  wrong,  and  those  points  of  states- 
manship which  are  connected  with  universal  Religion. 
But  while  their  books  are  read,  their  houses  of  worship 
are  not  filled.  Like  the  Theophilanthropists  of  the 
last  century,  their  speculations  are  profound,  and 
beautiful,  their  culture  is  wise,  but  their  ivorskip,  and 
that  which  evinces  reverence  appears  defective. 

On  the  other  hand,  amid  all  the  cumbrousness  of  an- 
tiquated forms,  there  is  among  the  Episcopalians,  a 
cultivation  of  living  piety,  a  habit  of  worship,  reverence 
for  authority,  such  as  every  wise  parent  wishes  to  in- 
culcate in  his  child,  and  every  wise  statesman  upon 
all  the  members  of  the  community.  As  a  system  of 
religious,  practical  education  therefore,  Episcopacy 
gains  where  Unitarianism  loses.  If  the  two  could,  as 
they  will  ultimately,  so  blend  as  that -each  shall  respect 
and  gain  the  good  points  of  the  other,  and  lose  individ- 
ual narrowness,  there  would  arise  a  greater  breadth  of 


PRESBYTERIANS   AND    CONGREGATIONALISTS.        351 

Churchmanship,  and  a  greater  warmth  and  reverence 
among  Unitarians.  The  life  of  Robertson  or  Arnold 
may  illustrate  the  one,  and  perhaps  works  like  Ecce 
Homo  the  other. 

The  strong  hereditary  hold  which  Presbyterianism 
in  the  South  and  Congregationalism  in  the  North 
exercise  upon  very  many  of  the  most  wise  and  mod- 
erate and  truly  respectable  worshippers  throughout  this 
country,  and  through  Protestant  Europe,  makes  it 
natural  to  ask,  What  will  be  the  effect  of  the  coming 
wave  of  opinions  as  to  Inspiration  upon  their  pros- 
perity ?  Both  of  these  denominations  were  founded 
originally  upon  a  most  implicit  faith  in  every  line  and 
letter  of  Scripture.  "  Every  pin  of  the  Tabernacle  is 
precious,  and  must  be  made  according  to  the  pattern 
showed  in  the  mount."  Such  were  the  Presbyterian 
arguments  with  Whitfield,  when  he  sought  to  preach 
in  Scotland ;  to  which  he  found  it  best  to  reply,  "  True, 
but  all  are  not  called  to  make  pins."  There  is,  how- 
ever, a  period  in  the  history  of  each  denomination,  in 
which  it  becomes  naturally  conservative  and  historical, 
and  therefore  certain  to  be  the  claimant  of  an  authority 
within  itself.  It  has  been  thus  with  both  of  these 
denominations,  in  measure,  as  well  as  with  the  Luther- 
ans and  German  Reformed,  and  this  as  well  in  Europe 
as  in  this  country.  It  will,  therefore,  not  be  natural, 
and  perhaps  not  wise,  for  denominations  thus  situated, 


352  DR.    BUSHNELL. 

to  take  the  lead  in  any  progressive  movements  expe- 
diting a  change,  however  certain.  Their  policy  has 
been  and  will  be  no  doubt  conservative,  and  leaning 
rather  to  oppose  than  foster  even  those  learned  and 
really  eminent  leaders,  who,  like  Dr.  Hanna  in  Scot- 
land, and  Dr.  Davidson  in  England,  would  have 
piloted  them  to  a  more  secure  anchorage  ground. 
Yet,  in  good  time,  all  opposition  to  the  views  of  these 
teachers  will  quickly  die  out,  and  new  pastors  arise, 
who  will  silently  accept  the  results  of  their  learning, 
labors  and  conflicts,  wisely  combining  with  them  the 
authority  of  religious  teachers,  (but  without  disturbing 
the  older  members,)  w^hile  embracing  the  new  genera- 
tion in  thought  and  spirit.  It  is  thus  that  all  bodies 
of  men  grow,  both  political  and  religious  organizations. 
It  is  well  for  the  masses  that  it  should  be  so.  Mean- 
time each  Christian  man  and  minister  must  and  ought 
to  labor  peacefully,  and  not  antagonistically,  where  the 
head  of  the  Church  has  placed  him,  and  in  his  own 
appointed  work.  Sometimes  I  have  felt  sad  to  see  the 
denominational  leaders  frowning  upon  a  man  like  Dr. 
Bushnell,  of  honesty  and  earnestness,  and  trying  by 
ridicule,  sarcasm  and  bitter  denunciations,  to  keep  all 
things  as  they  were,  even  at  the  expense  of  truths 
known  or  easily  knowable  by  those  who  speak  loudest 
in  opposition  to  them.  But  this  too  shall  pass  away, 
and  the  men  with    it.     Let   discord  only  be  avoided, 


METHODISTS   AND    BAPTISTS.  353 

and  worship  preserved,  and  practical  religion  diligently 
cultivated.  In  one  or  tw^o  generations,  Christian  nien 
will  be  no  more  concerned  a4  the  loss  of  verbal  inspira- 
tion than  at  that  of  the  six  literal  days  of  Genesis,  or 
of  the  belief  in  the  Copernican  theory. 

There  are,  however,  two  denominations  which  have 
become  the  numerous  bodies  they  are  by  most  aggres- 
sive strides,  rather  than  by  the  hereditary  principle,  — 
the  Methodists  and  the  Baptists ;  the  former  by  the 
bold  attacks  of  Reason  upon  seeming  doctrinal  abuses, 
and  the  latter  by  a  more  exact  compliance  with  the 
literal  demands  of  Scripture  authority  in  regard  to  the 
ordinance  of  Baptism.  Both  of  these  denominations, 
however,  owe  most  of  their  real  success,  not  to  their 
different  peculiarities,  but  to  the  point  on  which  they 
both  agree,  i.  e.  in  being  earnestly  and  aggressively 
Evangelical,  attacking  sin  everywhere,  with  high  faith 
in  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  make  man  a 
new  creature,  morally  regenerated  to  God  and  good- 
ness. Connected  with  this,  the  Methodist  has  used  an 
able  but  avowedly  human  system  of  religious  culture 
in  the  shape  of  classes  and  society  meetings,  while  the 
Baptists  have  claimed  the  words  of  Scripture  as  their 
authority  for  the  entire  pattern  of  their  Ecclesiastical 
rfegulations. 

So  far,  then,  it  might  seem  as  if  Methodists  could 
and  would  more  easily  adapt  themselves  to  the  broader 


354  THE   METHODISTS. 

views  of  Inspiration  than  Baptists.  Perhaps  they  will 
find  less  external  change  to  make  in  the  form  of  their 
arguments  or  creed,  whicliKlepend  more  on  reason,  and 
less  directly  on  the  Bible.  But  both  will  be  found  to 
rest  ultimately  upon  certain  great  intuitions,  and  both 
have  professedly  been  unqualified  supporters  of  the 
most  literal  views  of  Bible  Inspiration.  Doctrinally, 
however,  so  far  as  creeds  go,  the  Methodists,  adopting 
substantially  the  thirty-nine  articles  of  the  Church  of 
England,  from  which  they  sprang,  haVe  differed  from 
that  body  only  in  giving  them  an  exclusively  anti- 
Calvinistic  interpretation.  Methodism  is  therefore  as 
free  as  is  the  Church  of  England  itself,  to  embrace  by. 
those  articles  much  wider  views  of  Christianity  and 
of  the  Scriptures  than  has  thus  far  been  common,  but 
for  which  ample  room  can  be  found  without  the  least 
disturbance,  in  proportion  as  the  leading  thinkers  of 
that  denomination  adopt  them.  It  would  not  for  a 
day  impair  any  of  their  zeal,  but  much  extend  their 
usefulness.  Indeed,  it  would  build  up  the  work  of 
personal  religion  in  each  man's  heart  and  experience, 
as  the  foundation  of  all  the  best  evidences  of  Christian- 
ity. All  reasonable  methods  of  cherishing  and  culti- 
vating this  are  really  parts  of  Christianity.  Nor  can 
any  objector  lay  his  finger  on  a  word  that  need  be 
altered  in  their  fifth  and  sixth  articles,  which  alone 
allude  to  this  subject  in  their  Confession. 


THE   BAPTISTS.  355 

With  the  Baptists  this  is  somewhat  different,  though 
their  disadvantage  is  less  than  might  at  first  appear. 
They  have  ever  denied  the  binding  authority  of  creeds, 
and  though  several  Confessions  of  Faith  have  been 
drawn  up,  many  of  their  best  churches  have  steadily 
refused  to  adopt  any  of  them,  and  each  association  or 
church  has  altered,  or  composed,  or  declined  to  adopt 
any  confession,  pretty  much  as  they  have  seen  fit. 
One  of  the  most  venerable  of  these  confessions,  and 
one  of  the  mildest  and  best,  is  that  of  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Boston,  embraced  about  two  hundred 
years  ago.  Most  of  those  drawn  up  since  have  been 
modifications  of  one  adopted  by  one  hundred  Baptist 
ministers  in  London,  in  1642,  which  is  indeed,  except 
on  the  subject  of  Baptism,  almost  identical  with  the 
Savoy  Confession  of  the  Congi-egationalists,  and  mostly 
copied  therefore  from  the  Westminster  Confession  of 
the  Presbyterians,  except  in  the  matter  of  Church  Gov- 
ernment. 

Other  Baptists,  wishing  for  something  less  anti- 
quated in  theological  phraseology,  especially  on  the 
subject  of  the  Divine  purposes,  have  very  generally 
adopted  a  confession  drawn  up  for  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Baptists  thirty  or  forty  years  ago.  This  has  been 
again  variously  modified  or  dispensed  with,  so  that, 
practically,   no   denomination   is    more   unfettered    by 


356  PROFESSOR   ROBINSON   ON 

creeds,  though  perhaps  none  more  generally  agree 
among  themselves  in  sentiment,  than  the  Baptists. 

So  far  this  agreement,  and  all  the  expressions  of  it 
that  I  have  seen,  unless  it  be  the  first,  have  been  very 
literal  and  plenary  in  their  views  of  Inspiration.  Per- 
haps their  strict  conformity  to  primitive  customs,  as  to 
the  subject  and  manner  of  administering  baptism,  is  in 
some  cases  the  natural  consequence,  in  others  possibly 
to  a  certain  extent  the  ccmse  of  this. 

Twelve  years  ago,  when  writing  at  length  on  the 
Progress  of  Baptist  Principles,  I  did  not  then  think 
this  view  amounted  to  what  might  fairly  be  called 
bibliolatry,  either  in  them  or  in  others,  who  from  the 
same  acknowledged  premises,  adopted  different  con- 
clusions as  to  the  particular  ordinance  of  Baptism. 
But  I  now  find  myself  inclined  to  suspect  too  exclusive 
an  attachment  to  the  letter  of  Scripture,  among  all  those 
who  hold  as  I  once  held  to  plenary  Inspiration  ;  and  see 
with  regret  such  men  as  the  able  Professor,  Dr.  Rob- 
inson* of  Rochester,  not  ashamed  to  declare   that  he 

*  I  allude  to  a  note  on  p.  25,  of  a  published  Address  of  his  delivered 
before  the  Rhetorical  Society  of  Rochester  Theological  Seminary,  de- 
livered May  15,  18GG,  in  which  the  author  saj's,  "  For  the  benefit  of 
those  Avho  have  been  so  mucli  concerned  for  his  orthodoxy,  that  lie  be- 
lieves implicitly  and  expUcitiy,  1.  In  tlic  jjlenary  Inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  2.  In  the  existence  of  God,  in  his  decrees,  &,c."  — 
I  cannot  but  regret  to  see  such  a  Confession  of  faith  so  endorsed,  most 
especially  placing  a  belief  in  the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being  a/?cr  that 


PLENARY    INSPIRATION.  357 

holds  now,  and  ever  expects  to  hold  on  to  this  view. 
Even  where  many  compensating  statements  of  the 
living  presence  and  inspirations  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  the  Church,  are  so  upheld  as  to  counteract  much 
of  the  evil,  it  is  impossible  not  to  dread  the  form- 
ality and  deadness  that  must  arise,  if  the  denomina- 
tion does  not  butgrow  the  contracted  expressions  and 
naiTOw  views  on  this  point  that  are  in  danger  of 
stifling  its  life  and  growth.   • 

What  then  ought  to  be  the  bearing  of  the  dis- 
cussions recorded  in  former  pages  and  agitating  all 
Christendom  on  the  Baptists  as  a  denomination  ?  I 
say  at  once  and  frankly,  that  before  every  thing  else, 

of  what  I  must  call  the  exploded  dogma  of  plenary  inspiration,  in  every 
sense  of  that  phrase,  that  such  an  asseveration  must  have  been  intended 
to  convey  to  his  readers.  On  reading  it  I  felt  that  some  one  ought  to 
speak  out  on  this  subject,  at  least  for  the  sake  of  the  rising  ministry  of 
our  Denomination.  In  a  very  different  spirit  Dr.  Hovey  of  Newton 
has  seemed  to  treat  the  matter  in  a  sermon  preached  at  Newport  and 
other  places,  and  condensed  in  a  recent  number  of  the  Watchman  and 
lleflector.  But  the  widely  prevailing  ignorance  of  the  diflBculties  of 
this  whole  question  among  ministerial  students.,  otherwise  intelligently 
and  laboriously  educated,  but  allowed  to  remain  terribly  in  the  dark  on 
this  Inspiration  question,  in  most  of  the  Evangelical  denominations,  is 
to  my  mind,  one  of  the  most  fearful  signs  of  the  times  and  has  alone 
induced  me  to  write  this  work.  Should  I  have  succeeded  in  leading 
some  of  them  to  think  on  this  subject  for  themselves,  prayerfully  and 
with  a  supreme  love  for  the  truth  at  any  cost,  my  purpose  will  have 
been  fulfilled. 


358  ERRONEOUS   ORDER   OF 

young  men  preparing  for  the  ministry,  ought  to  be 
led  to  freely  study,  candidly,  fearlessly  and  for  them- 
selves, this  as  one  of  the  most  important  of  all  the 
theological  points  likely  to  come  up  for  discussion  in 
their  future  ministry.  "  The  priest's  lips  should  keep 
knowledge,"  yet  few  of  them  have  much  on  this  sub- 
ject to  keep.  The  plan  of  putting  tte  complicated 
and  difficult  study  of  Inspiration  out  of  its  proper 
order,  into  the  first  lectures  of  a  course,  when  the  minds 
of  students  are  fresh  and  green,  with  the  critical 
faculties  unsharpened  attrition,  and  no  basis  laid  on 
which  to  prove  anything  theologically,  and  before  even 
the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being  is  discussed,  is  a 
fundamental  error.  They  are  thus,  no  doubt,  most 
ready  to  believe  everything,  without  proof  or  difficulty, 
and  this  makes  it  very  easy  work  for  the  instructor, 
but  must  tend  to  make  them  sadly  superficial,  if  not 
blind  leaders  of  the  blind,  so  far  as  all  this  is  con- 
cerned. 

There  is  a  natural  and  an  eternal  order  in  theological 
study,  as  in  that  of  every  other  science,  i.  e.  from  the  most 
simple  to  the  more  complex ;  and  as  in  all  the  Natural 
Sciences,  the  proper  arrangement  makes  more  than 
half  the  difference  as  to  whether  a  student  ever  gets  a 
correct  conception  of  the  whole,  so  is  it  equally  essen- 
tial in  theology.  Where  this  order  is  violated,  young 
men    leave    the   seminaries    with    minds   shallow,  and 


THEOLOGICAL   STUDY.  359 

confident,  but  asleep ;  praised  for  a  docile  orthodoxy, 
but  quite  unable  to  meet  the  sphitual  wants  of 
intelligent  hearers,  or  enquiring  young  members  who 
so  off  in  crowds  to  hear  those  who  can  command  the 
respect  of  their  minds  and  feed  them  as  well  as  touch 
their  feelings.  Soon  these  ministers  begin  to  read, 
grow  cautious,  misty,  preaching  a  half  starved  theol- 
ogy without  point  or  aim  or  conviction.  It  then 
generally  takes  them  years,  often  a  life,  before  they  are 
worth  anything  as  preachers,  because  they  have  no 
clear,  strong,  undoubting  certainties  on  Inspiration  or 
any  other  subject. 

I  know  the  fear  of  rendering  young  ministers  scep- 
tical, makes  old  professors  careful.  So  they  ought  to 
be.  But  if  pious  and  earnest  young  men,  who  give  up 
their  lives  most  sincerely  to  the  study  of  religion,  with 
the  most  disinterested  motives,  cannot  be  trusted  with 
the  truth,  who  can  ?  Life  is  short.  For  twenty  or 
thirty  years  there  have  been  seminaries  where  progress 
in  discussing  these  subjects  has  been  almost  impercep- 
tible while  theological  literature  has  been  full  of  it,  and 
every  year,  new  classes  have  issued.  Nor  have  I 
known  a  single  case  in  which  a  more  thorough,  simple 
and  honest  course  has  been  pursued,  without  a  firmer 
and  more  living  faith  in  the  great  and  Divine  reality  of 
Christianity  resulting. 

But  what  is  the  duty  of  those  persons,  ministers  and 


360  UNFEARING    MEEKNESS 

members  of  all  Christian  Churches,  who  become  con- 
vmced,  as  many  are  daily  becoming,  that  those  verbal 
views  of  the  infallibility  of  Inspiration  in  which  they 
have  been  brought  up,  are  both  unnecessary  and  erro- 
neous ?  Shall  they  stifle,  or  abandon  such  convictions 
for  fear  of  wounding  weak  brethren,  or  rather  for  fear 
of  being  wounded  by  those  stronger  in  a  blatant 
volubility  of  orthodoxy ;  or  shall  they  conceal  their 
belief  by  unworthy  professions  or  evasions? — God 
forbid!  The  love  of  truth  and  of  Christian  honor 
must  ever  be  held  supreme  in  the  soul  and  life  of 
every  Christian.  Not  to  be  afraid  or  ashamed  of  a 
truth  at  any  cost  is  one  of  the  earliest  and  most 
important  lessons  Christ  taught  the  world  by  his  life 
and  by  his  death,  and  Christianity  has  since  taught 
this  by  all  its  goodly  company  of  martyrs.  If  it 
should  cost  the  severance  of  dearest  Christian  ties,  still 
to  shrink  from  it  would  be  irreligious. 

But  on  the  other  hand,  the  lack  of  suflicient  meek- 
ness, patience  and  forbearance  is  the  besetting  sin 
attending  increased  knowledge,  with  a  want  of  contin- 
ued reverence,  love  and  zeal  for  the  old  and  common 
truths  of  Christianity.  Indeed,  often  doubts  and 
neglect  of  universal  religion,  arc  apt  to  be  the  besetting 
dangers  and  sins  of  those  whose  characters  formed  on 
one  set  of  instructions,  find  suddenly  that  sonifr  of 
what    they    lield    to  be  infallible,    is    only   proximate. 


AND    GREATER   SELF-CONSECRATION.  361 

Such  persons  should  beware  that  they  do  not  lightly 
or  hastily  throw  aside  any  of  those  duties,  or  habits 
of  the  religious  Ufe  or  of  usefulness  to  others  to  which 
they  have  become  accustomed,  without  strong  and 
adequate  reason.  When  Jesus  came  as  a  reformer  of 
the  Jews,  he  urged  upon  his  disciples  that  except  their 
righteousness  should  exceed  that  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees,  they  should  in  no  case  enter  the  new  dis- 
pensation. In  proportion  as  our  knowledge  becomes 
larger,  it  will  require  and  acquire  a  more  earnest, 
vigorous  and  practical  piety  of  life.  Where  this  is  not 
the  case,  it  were  better  for  a  man  to  have  gone  on 
unawakened  in  the  old  routine.  Larger  views  will 
either  maUe  a  man  better  or  worse,  more  exact  in 
duty  as  well  as  in  speculation,  and  more  afraid  of 
neglecting  even  a  Christian  usage,  or  a  delicate  feel- 
ing. Often  it  is  otherwise.  Men  throw  off  too  easily 
and  too  fast  the  restraints  and  duties  to  which  they 
have  been  accustomed,  though  more  necessary  to  their 
soul's  health  than  ever.  There  should  be  even  a  higher 
and  more  spiritual  self-consecration  to  the  service  of 
God,  of  Christianity  and  of  humanity  ;  of  truth  and 
of  goodness,  connected  with  those  broader  views  of 
the  Inspiration  of  the  Scriptm*es,  and  of  every  Chris- 
tian man.  If  Dr.  Pusey  and  his  friends  have  found 
and  exemplified  this  in  one  way,  shall  not  others  find 

it  in  more  natural,  useful  and  practical  directions  ? 
10 


362         •  PATIENT   FIRMNESS. 

No  man  should  be  in  haste  to  alter  his  position  in 
the  Church  of  Christ  from  any  advance  in  his  own 
views,  but  rather  by  patience  with  the  faults  of  others 
and  a  more  holy,  circumspect,  and  Christian  life,  lead 
others  to  see  and  feel  at  last,  that  he  has  a  faith 
that  comprehends  more  and  therefore  can  endure  more. 
To  be  candid  without  being  censorious,  or  impertinent, 
or  impatient  at  the  oppositions  of  malicious,  ignorant 
and  bad  men,  who  yet  fancy  that  they  are  doing  God 
service  in  vituperating  and  slandering  him,  is  what  the 
Master  has  taught  his  followers  to  endure  —  oh,  how 
patiently !  —  for  the  good  of  others.  All  this  we  must 
learn  to  bear  for  the  sake  of  each  other.  It  is  a  part 
of  that  law  of  vicariousness,  which  the  cross  of  Christ 
was  intended  to  reveal  to  man,  as  the  chosen  method 
by  which  alone,  the  enslaved  of  ignorance  and  error 
are  ever  to  be  redeemed. 

Jesus  did  not  withdraw  from  the  synagogues  of  his 
native  land,  nor  was  he  ever  formally  expelled,  but  was 
still  considered  a  poor  Jewish  Rabbi  till  falsely  ad- 
judged guilty  of  blasphemy,  and  declared  by  the  High 
Priest  to  be  worthy  of  death.  Nor  did  his  followers 
cease  to  worship  and  meet  in  the  temple,  long  after  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  or  to  consider  themselves  as  other 
than  a  Jewish  sect  in  Palestine.  Only  gradually  did 
the  young  Christian  Church  become  separated  from 
the  Jewish  synagogue,  and  then  by  no   act  of  its  own, 


DUTY   OF   BAPTISTS.  •  363 

but  slowly  and  unwillingly  through  that  of  the  Jews. 
Indeed,  so  slow  and  cautious  was  this  process,  that  for 
ages  out  of  respect  for  them,  Saturday  was  generally 
held  as  sacred,  especially  in  the  East,  as  the  first  day 
of  the  week.  Both  were  and  have  ever  been  held  as 
festival  days  of  the  Church,  and  the  fast  of  Friday 
was  so  fixed  to  avoid  them  both. 

With  perfect  candor  then,  but  with  perfect  meek- 
ness and  humility,  let  every  Christian  of  every  sect 
avow  all  the  new  truths  he  may  see,  retaining  fully  his 
love  and  charity  for  those  who  may  not  think  with 
him,  and  leaving  those  who  have  the  least  love,  to 
move  in  the  work  of  schism  and  separation,  if  it  must 
be  so.  Certainly  it  becomes  not  those  who  are  them- 
selves only  in  a  state  of  gradual  development,  to  be  in 
haste  to  form  new  sects,  and  new  antagonisms ;  they 
should  rather  aim  to  be  legitimate  growths  from  the 
ancient  tree,  inheriting  all  its  vigor  and  sap,  and 
differing  from  it  only  in  the  new  and  higher  fruitful- 
ness  of  the  young  graft. 

One  or  two  things,  however,  are  especially  de- 
manded of  members  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  by 
the  larger  views  of  Inspiration  that  have  been  sug- 
gested in  .this  work.  One  is  to  rise  above  the  mere 
litcralness  of  Scripture  interpretation,  (not  indeed  by 
neglecting  the  laws  of  close  criticism,)  but  by  com- 
bining with  them  a  more  full  and  charitable  adherence 


364  •  POSITION    OF   BAPTISTS. 

to  the  Spirit.  Several  years  ago,  I  wrote  a  little 
work  on  the  Progress  of  Baptist  Principles,  in  which 
I  advocated  the  view  that  while  we  should  take  every 
means  of  exhibiting  our  Christian  fellowship  with  all 
true  Christians,  yet  that  the  ceremonial  communion 
of  ordinances  had  better  be  kept  up  by  each  denom- 
ination of  Christians  in  conjunction  with  those  with 
whom  they  agreed  on  the  subject  of  ordinances,  so 
as  to  avoid  discussions.  But  I  noiu  feel,  that  with 
the  far  more  important  points  of  affinity,  that  every 
year  is  opening  up  of  a  most  spiritual  character, 
closer  unities  ought  to  and  will  increasingly  prevail. 
All  the  Presbyterian  Churches  are  thus  attempting  to 
unite.  And  if  it  should  appear  that  Christian  breth- 
ren of  different  denominations  can  increase  their  love 
and  sympathy  for  each  other  by  partaking  together 
of  the  Eucharist,  instead  of  in  their  respective 
Churches  only,  no  ecclesiastical  fetters  should  restrict 
them  from  doing  so.  I  once  believed  that  dissen- 
sions would  be  saved,  by  those  only  who  agreed  as 
to  points  of  ceremony,  being  united  in  the  same 
Church,  all,  however,  fully  recognizing  each  other's 
Christian  character  in  appropriate  ways.  But  the 
Associations  of  young  men  in  Sanitary  and  Chris- 
tian Commissions,  on  the  battle  field,  in  the  tent, 
and  in  all  our  large  cities,  have  given  such  an  in- 
creasing importance  to  these    new    spiritual  affinities, 


SCEPTICS.  365 

that  every  effort  should  surely  be  made,  without  de- 
stroying any  existing  institutions  or  denominations, 
to  draw  all  who  earnestly  love  Christianity,  in  such 
ways  as  they  find  expedient  and  most  free  from  con- 
troversy, to  exhibit  their  love  to  Christ  and  to  each 
other  freely,  subject  to  all  proper  laws  but  without 
narrowness  or  jealously.  Each  denomination  will 
prosper  according  to  its  love. 

I  have  thus  spoken  practically  of  the  bearing  of 
these  views  in  regard  to  Inspiration,  upon  different 
Christian  denominations,  as  they  exist  in  this  country. 
But  in  the  meantime,  it  is  impossible  to  shut  our  eyes 
to  the  fact,  that  outside  of  the  pale  of  the  Church,  that 
is,  of  all  regular  Christian  Churches,  even  of  the  loosest 
organization,  there  have  been  quietly  gathering  large 
numbers  of  young  men,  some  wild  and  thoughtless, 
and  anxious  to  escape  the  restraints  of  Christianity, 
but  others  sincere,  earnest,  well  educated  and  con- 
scientious, who  seldom  ever,  attend  church,  but  are 
sceptical  as  to  all  Christian  doctrine,  and  still  more 
ill-grounded  as  to  many  of  the  most  vital  teachings 
of  Natural  Religion,  because  none  have  taken  the 
pains  to  advocate  them  on  such  grounds  as  they  are 
prepared  rightly  to  appreciate.  The  numbers  of  young 
men  of  this  class  are  annually  increasing,  and  their 
weight  and  influence  in  politics,  in  literature,  in  society 
are  augmenting  daily. 


366  THE   ALEXANDRINE 

In  fact,  there  is  in  New  England  at  this  moment 
a  sort  of  moral  and  religious  chaos,  through  which 
almost  all  thinking  young  persons  have  to  wade, — 
a  slough,  not  of  despond,  but  of  vague,  dreamy  and 
dangerous  visions,  through  which  many  never  come 
out  safely  to  a  recovered  and  firm  foothold  of  clear, 
consistent  faith  in  any  thing  religious.  There  are 
indeed  many  compromises  made,  such  as  subsiding 
into  a  quiet,  professed  respect  for  morality,  even  a  love 
for  Christian  teachings  which  however  are  being  rap- 
idly undermined.  Some  move,  like  Brownson,  to 
Roman  Catholicism,  for  the  sake  of  its  authority,  and 
some  to  open  Infidelity  and  even  Atheism,  or  the 
modern  epicureanism  of  free  love  and  the  absence  of 
any  moral  system.     This  is  terrible  but  true. 

Just  what  Boston  is  to-day  in  these  respects,  Alex- 
andria in  Egypt  was  sixteen  or  seventeen  hundred 
years  ago,  when  Ammonius  Saccas  and  the  New  Pla- 
tonics mixed  up  Platonism  and  Christianity  in  the 
schools  of  that  city.  There  all  sects  of  philosophy  and 
Christianity  met,  were  discussed,  fused,  blended  and 
left  as  a  residuum, —  such  a  singular  union  of  philos- 
ophy and  Christianity,  that,  while  it  contained  the 
foremost  religious  thinking  of  that  day,  it  also  em- 
braced many  gross  errors.  Platonism,  the  best  system 
of  philosophy,  at  last  melted  into  Nco-Platonism,  and 
gave  way  utterly  before  the  earnest,  practical  })iety  of 


AND    MODERN   SCHOOL.  367 

Origen,  who  united  the  full  appreciation  and  love  for 
the  good  points  of  both,  as  others  had  partially  done 
before.  The  Alexandrine  Christian  faith,  which  he 
thus  developed,  swept  before  it  the  results  of  all  the 
philosophical  thinking  of  the  Oriental  and  Greek  sys- 
tems. Henceforth,  by  degrees,  the  Christian  Church 
became  the  seat  of  all  the  philosophy  of  the  world, 
combined  with  a  higher,  more  fervent  and  heaven-born 
spirit,  gathered  from  the  lips  of  Him  who  spake  as 
never  man  spake,  and  rendered  practical  by  the  earnest 
lives  of  all  the  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 
Every  one  strove  for  practical  godliness,  with  a  zeal 
that  nothing  could  quench,  and  a  breadth  of  experi- 
ment and  speculation  that  left  nothing  in  life  untested. 
This  was  what  gave  the  Alexandrine  school  a  potency 
and  influence  which  it  never  wholly  lost,  and  the 
remains  of  which  are  distinctly  traceable  to  this  day. 
We  have  hardly  yet  fairly  outg4-own  it  in  the  West.  In 
the  East  it  ended,  however,  in  countless  bickerings  and 
controversies,  that  could  only  be  imperfectly  quelled  by 
the  subjugating  force  of  Mahomet  and  his  simpler  con- 
fession enforced  by  the  sword,  "  There  is  one  God,  and 
Mahomet  is  his  prophet." 

That  many  of  the  sects  and  opinions  of  the  present 
day  are  doomed  ultimately  to  die  out.  or  be  crushed 
out,  as  were  these  sects  of  Platonism,  Orientalism,  and 
Christian  Gnosticism,  cannot  be  doubted.     But  in  the 


368  PANTHEISM   OUTGROWN. 

meantime,  a  searching  sceptical  philosophy,  seemingly- 
antagonistic  to  Christianity,  will  gradually  compel  the 
old-fashioned  literal  views  of  verbal  Inspiration  to  give 
way,  and  many  may  be  disposed  to  think  that  all  our 
Christianity  will  give  way  with  them,  and  be  carried 
down  the  stream  of  time  like  a  wrecked  mill  on  the 
side  of  a  swelling  stream,  and  just  as  Platonism  was 
swept  away  before  the  rising  tide  of  Christianity. 

But  it  was  Christianity  that  absorbed  philosophy, 
and  not  philosophy  that  ever  did  or  could  absorb  Chris- 
tianity with  its  Theim.  Now  there  are  new  schools 
of  Infidel  philosophy,  antagonistic  to  Christianity,  rising 
up,  and  confidently  predicting  its  downfall  before  them. 
Yet  the  Atheism  of  Comte  is  little  more  than  that 
of  Aristodemus,  whom  Socrates  refuted,  and  the  Pan- 
theism of  the  Germans  is  but  the  re-vamping  of  that 
of  the  Vedas,  that  growth  is  the  only  eternal  princi- 
ple, —  a  belief  conquered  by  Platonism  in  Greece. 
Philosophy  and  Christianity  wrought  out,  ages  ago, 
in  the  hearts  of  all,  the  firm  belief  in  a  personal  God, 
from  the  wreck  of  Atheism  and  Pantheism,  as  Prof. 
Maurice  has  shown  in  his  admirable  history  of  Moral 
and  Metaphysical  Science,  in  the  Encyclopedia  Metro- 
politana. 

The  world  grows  in  knowledge,  and  does  not  go 
backward.  It  will  never  let  any  of  the  great  truths 
once  wrought  out  on  its  surface  die  ;  and  hence  it  may 


CHRISTIANITY   ABSORBS   PHILOSOPHY.  369 

be  safely  predicted,  that  while  our  Christianity  will  be 
much  improved,  sifted  and  refined  by  all  the  present 
processes  of  modern  thought  and  philosophy,  it  will 
absorb  them,  and  not  they  it.  This  was  the  idea  of 
Coleridge,  when  he  used  to  say  that  henceforth  Chris- 
tianity was  and  would  be  the  only  possible  philosophy, 
and  this  is,  above  all,  what  Jesus  meant  when  he  said, 
"  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my  words 
shall  not  pass  away." 


370  TRUE  EVIDENCES 


CHAPTER    XV. 

TRUE     EVIDENCES     INDICATED. 

THERE  are  some,  perhaps,  who  have  read  this  vol- 
ume thus  far,  and  are  ready  to  lay  it  aside  with 
the  feeling  that  they  have  not  time  or  ability  to  settle 
remote  questions  of  the  genuineness,  authenticity  and 
credibility  of  documents  near  two  thousand  years  old. 
And  they  ask,  How  shall  I  assure  myself  of  the  right- 
ful Divine  Authority  of  Christianity  over  my  heart  and 
life,  beyond  my  own  personal  feelings  and  experience 
as  a  Christian?  The  effects  of  Christianity,  as  a  sys- 
tem, upon  human  life,  upon  marriage,  and  upon  law, 
are  perhaps  three  of  the  best  practical  evidences,  and 
may  help  to  indicate  in  what  directions  new  confirma- 
tions are  to  be  found.  But  it  is  only  when  the  attempt 
is  made  to  substitute  some  other  system  for  Christian- 
ity, that  the  value  of  this  sort  of  proof  can  be  fully 
appreciated.     It  is  hard  for  a  busy  man,  who  breathes 


OF  CHRISTIANITY.  371 

every  second,  to  believe  that  the  atmosphere  is  pressing 
on  his  body  always  to  the  extent  of  a  ton  on  every 
square  foot  of  surface  on  his  body,  or  to  conceive  of 
the  importance  to  his  life  of  so  clear,  colorless  a 
vapor,  so  imperceptible  to  all  his  ordinary  senses,  as 
this.  But  let  him  try  what  it  is  to  do  without  it,  by  an 
air  pump,  and  he  is  soon  convinced  practically.  Or 
let  him  seek  to  substitute  some  other  gas  in  place  of 
it,  and  he  will  agree  that  it  will  never  do  to  give  up 
breathing  air. 

So  it  is  with  Christianity ;  and  this  is  why,  at  the 
close  of  the  first  French  Revolution,  Napoleon,  as  a 
statesman,  and  Coleridge,  as  a  philosopher,  considered 
Christianity  as  the  only  possible  philosophy  for  the 
future. 

I.  The  horrid  and  wholesale  destruction  of  the  best 
lives  occasioned  by  that  attempt  to  do  without  this  sys- 
tem, have  convinced  many.  The  value  Christianity 
has  given  to  human  life,  is  best  seen  by  looking  at  the 
frequency  of  suicide  wherever  men  are  not  conti'olled  by 
its  principles.  Look  at  Japan,  the  most  civilized  of 
the  Eastern  nations,  where  it  is  officially  ordered  and 
sanctioned  by  the  wisest  and  most  important  citizens. 
Look  through  China,  along  the  banks  of  the  Ganges, 
and  in  France  and  Germany.  Just  in  proportion  as 
faith  in  Christianity  is  swept  away,  murder  and  suicide 
become  common,  and   any  little  momentary  trouble, 


372  VALUE   PUT    ON    LIFE 

that  seems  insurmountable  to  an  excited  imagination, 
ends  in  the  destruction  of  what  may  have  been  a  most 
highly  educated  and  Valuable  life.  It  was  just  the 
same  in  ancient  Greece  and  E-ome,  before  Christianity, 
as  a  system,  gave  a  sense  of  immortal  value  to  every 
human  existence. 

Perhaps  it  will  be  said,  that  such  is  the  innate  love 
of  life,  that  on  a  large  scale  this  matter  is  not  worth 
counting.  But  look  at  the  bearing  of  this  system  on  a 
wider  scale,  and  see.  That  must  be  the  truest  and 
best  system  of  morals  that  furnishes  the  best  vital  sta- 
tistics. Indeed,  that  is  the  principle  of  "  natural  selec- 
tion," by  which  worn-out  races  are  swept  off  the  earth, 
to  make  room  for  those  who  have  most  of  the  truths 
that  protect  existence,  most  of  that  growingness  and 
tendency  to  improvement  which  are  the  result  of  vital 
stamina.  The  purest  system  of  religion  is  the  best' 
protection  of  life  and  all  its  powers.  On  this  conti- 
nent. Christians  and  the  old  Indian  tribes  stood  face  to 
face.  Why  have  the  Indians  died  out,  and  the  white 
race  increased?  The  sense  of  the  value  of  life  has 
been  one  important  means.  American  Christianity 
has  been  the  chief  cause  of  our  rapid,  healthy  growth. 
Pitcairn's  Island  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most  perfect  of 
statistical  proofs  of  this  effect  of  true  religion. 

The  United  States  fosters  an  increasing  population, 
and  has  a  horror  of  all  the  Old  World  crimes  of  Greece 


BY    CHRISTIANITY.  373 

and  Rome,  and  the  Atheistic  philosophies  which  pre- 
vented the  increase  of  nations.  Christianity  gives 
4  value  to  human  life,  and  it  is  not  mistaken.  It  con- 
nects the  present  life  with  immortality,  and  we  all  see 
immortal  consequences  attached  to  the  conduct  of 
every  human  action  here.  All  the  future  of  genera- 
tions grows  out  of  the  past.  Individual,  family,  social, 
national  characteristics  are  handed  down  hereditarily. 
No  man  acts  well  or  badly  in  example,  or  thinks  a 
new  thought,  or  writes  it  in  a  tract,  but  it  will  pro- 
duce effects  a  thousand  years  hence.  Every  action  of 
each  life  produces  a  habit,  every  habit  a  character, 
every  character  an  hereditary  influence,  working  on 
endlessly,  —  so  that  all  the  future  shall  legitimately 
grow  out  of  the  past.  "  No  man  liveth  unto  himself." 
He  who  shapes  every  action  of  his  life  by  the  thought 
of  eternity,  alone  has  got  the  true  clue  to  greatness, 
goodness,  and  the  proper  course  for  each  here.  "  By 
patient  continuance  in  well  doing,  seek  for  glory  and 
honor  and  immortality."  Such  shall  find  eternal  life. 
The  system  that  teaches  that,  gives  the  only  law  of 
life  for  this  world  that  is  true  and  wise  and  good  for 
nations.  The  world  will  never  let  it  go,  having  once 
found  it. 

II.  The  connection  of  Christianity  and  Marriage, 
now  demands  our  attention  as  one  of  its  best  evi- 
dences. 


374  LICENTIOUSNESS   DESTROYED. 

One  of  the  great  forces  which,  after  three  hundred 
years  of  conflict,  and  after  every  sort  of  examination 
and  opposition,  placed  Christianity  upon  the  throne 
of  the  CsBsars,  was  the  last  thing  which  seemed  likely 
to  do  so  — its  teaching  in  regard 'to  marriage,  its  op- 
position to  divorce,  polygamy  and  licentiousness  of 
all  kinds.  The  heathen  temples,  priests,  priestesses, 
worship  and  mysteries  were  all  coimected  with  lusts 
and  abominations  so  gross  that  respectable  Roman 
matrons  and  maidens  of  high  moral  sense  could  not 
bear  to  go  near  them.  The  priests  and  philosophers 
tolerated  and  encouraged  all  this  to  get  strong  and 
rich  men  on  their  side,  and  the  religion  of  the  masses 
became  worse  and  worse.  Christianity  opposed  it 
all.  This  contest  began  about  divorce  at  pleasure. 
The  first  divorce  ever  issued  in  the  Roman  Empire 
was  about  three  hundred  years  before  Christ,  when 
one  high  in  rank  and  influence  publicly  divorced  his 
wife,  just  as  Napoleon  I,  divorced  Josephine,  because 
she  was  childless.  Hitherto  the  Romans  had  farmed, 
fought,  and  robbed,  and  murdered,  but  had  been  manly 
and  pure  in  their  domestic  relations.  But  now  fol- 
lowed, with  increasing  wealth,  scandalous  licentious- 
ness, and  the  heathen  temples  encouraged  it,  and  the 
Jewish  doctors  tolerated  divorce  about  at  pleasure  on 
the  part  of  the  husband.  At  last,  powerful  wives 
sometimes   divorced   weaker  husbands,  to    ally   them- 


PAGANISM.  375 

selves  to  more  ambitious  and  successful  men.  Herod 
the  Great  had  ten  wives,  some  murdered  by  him,  some 
by  the  intrigues  of  the  various  children,  and  a  few 
divorced.  His  sons  and  grand-children  did  worse. 
Herodias,  a  gi-and-daughter,  divorced  one  uncle  to 
marry  another,  i.  e.  the  Herod  who  beheaded  John  and 
mocked  Jesus.  Drusilla,  another  grand-daughter,  di- 
vorced two  husbands  and  married  Felix. 

Now,  a  hundred  years  before  the  first  divorce  in 
Rome,  Malachi,  the  last  of  the  old  prophets  in  Judea, 
had  protested  vehemently  against  divorce  at  pleasure, 
as  contrary  to  natural  justice,  in  leaving  a  wife  without 
comfort  in  age,  when  youth  and  beauty  were  gone,  and 
leaving  the  children  without  proper  education  —  in- 
deed as  a  crime  against  all  right  religious  feeling,  and 
the  true  companionship  for  age  (chap.  2 :  14-16.)  John 
the  Baptist,  four  hundred  years  later,  commenced  a 
practical  denunciation  against  the  Herods  on  this  ac- 
count, and  lost  his  head.  Jesus  announced  the  true 
idea  of  marriage,  and  was  crucified,  but  the  Christian 
Church,  as  Paul's  \vritings  show,  fixed  here  one  of  the 
greatest  practical  contests  with  the  paganism  and 
corruption  of  the  age.  Then,  to  avoid  divorces,  Chris- 
tians became  more  careful  about  their  marriages.  This 
was  one  of  the  wonderful  and  good  effects.  Tlie 
Church  was  informed  of  each  intended  marriage  and 
consulted,  and   \\\v   Christian   minister  |)ronc)uticed  the 


376  MARRIAGE   AN    EVIDENCE 

nuptial  benediction  in  the  name  of  God,  and  registered 
the  names  of  all  married  thus,  in  the  church  book. 
This  was  the  origin  of  mamage,  being  considered  not 
only  a  civil  contract,  but  one  religiously  blessed.  With 
the  heathens  all  was  different ;  there  were  no  registers, 
and  such  were  the  concubinage,  the  divorce  and  poly- 
gamy and  loose  connections,  that  no  one  knew  what 
woman  was  married  and  who  was  not,  or  what 
children  were  legitimate.  No  wife  was  safe  and  no 
mother,  no  husband  and  no  father,  except  only  among 
the  Christians.  Their  marriage  was  open,  registered 
for  life,  and  sanctioned  by  the  religious  community  as 
above  reproach.  And  a  father  could  feel  sure  when  he 
gave  away  his  loved  daughter  to  a  Christian  that  it 
was  to  a  protector /or  life,  when  her  beauty  was  faded 
and  he  was  dead.  By  degrees  the  best  people  wished 
their  children  to  be  thus  united,  and  all  other  connec- 
tions were  looked  upon,  as  the  Church  looked  on  them, 
as  suspicious,  disgraceful,  and,  where  not  real  mar- 
riages, wrong.  This  was  Christianity.  It  restored  the 
original  law  of  God.  This  was  the  great  battle  it 
fought  for  family  ties,  and  it  banished  paganism  and 
conquered. 

Now  the  question  is.  Will  the  world  ever  be  willing 
to  part  from  this  ?  One  might  as  well  ask  the  South- 
ern slaves  if  they  will  ever  wish  to  re-enact  slavery. 
Revolutions  do  not  move  backward.     Christianity  will 


OF   CHRISTIANITY.  377 

be  better  understood  and  better  lived  up  to  in  all  future 
ages,  but  such  a  sjretem  will  never  be  given  up.  It  has 
always  been  just  on  this  ground  that  the  battle  has  had 
to  be  fought  between  Christianity  and  its  foes  practi- 
cally. Many  in  youth,  therefore,  from  ignorance  or 
error,  oppose  this  religion,  but  as  men  get  settled  and 
are  fathers  and  men  of  weight  and  respectability  they 
abandon  their  opposition,  because  they  see  how  es- 
sentially and  fundamentally  Christianity  is  connected 
with  all  the  truest  and  dearest  ties  of  earth,  — with  all 
that  makes  it  safe  now  to  give  away  a  daughter  in 
marriage — all  that  can  promise  a  sure  and  comfortable 
companionship  for  old  age  in  the  wife  of  youth.  Take 
away  the  Christian  ideas  of  marriage  and  its  holy  laws, 
rightly  understood,  and  there  can  be  no  peace  for  the 
world. 

Many  persons  bring  forward  the  laws  of  Christianity 
to  disprove  and  correct  loose  views  of  the  relations  of 
the  sexes.  But  our  point  is,  that  Chiistianity  is  a  true 
and  divine  power  in  the  earth,  proved  by  the  great  vic- 
tory over  man's  lower  nature,  and  upon  which  the 
whole  progress  of  mankind,  the  education  of  youth, 
the  preservation  of  age  and  the  respect  for  woman  all 
depend.  If  marriage  is  not  divine,  there  is  nothing 
divine,  nothing  solid  on  earth,  nothing  left  that  a  good 
man,  woman  or  family  need  wish  preserved  in  all  the 
institutions    of  mankind.     And    marriage    and    Chris- 


378  CHRISTIANITY   THE   BASIS 

tianity  support  each  other  as  divine  gifts,  holy  institu- 
tions from  the  Father  of  lights. 

III.  The  effects  of  Polytheism  upon  ancient  interna- 
tional law,  and  those  ideas  from  which  all  law  springs, 
have  been  admirably  illustrated  by  Hon.  R.  H.  Dana,  Jr., 
in  a  very  original  and  important  manner  in  his  in- 
troductory lecture  on  International  law  at  the  Cam- 
bridge Law  School.  The  substance  of  his  argument 
is  as  follows : 

"  Ancient  civilization  was  essentially  polytheistic 
and  autochthonal.  That  is  to  say,  each  separate  peo- 
ple and  nation  was  supposed  to  be  a  distinct  crea- 
tion, having  distinct  gods.  On  this  feeling  Plato 
and  Aristotle  say  that  strangers  —  that  is,  barbarians 
—  are  natural  slaves.  Under  this  system  there  was 
not,  and  there  could  not  be  any  such  thing  as  philan- 
thropy cherished;  there  was  no  brotherhood  of  nations 
recognized.  The  languages  of  foreigners  were  de- 
spised and  hated  as  proofs  of  a  distinct,  perhaps  hostile 
origin,  and  war  or  isolation  were  looked  upon  as  the 
natural  relations  of  nations  to  each  other ;  and  war 
itself  became  finally  a  real  blessing  to  the  world,  as 
breaking  up  the  still  more  unnatural  isolation  which 
was  the  desired  and  pictured  condition  of  a  blissful 
nation.  Horace  and  Virgil  both  give  this  as  the  true 
picture  of  happiness,  and  Cicero  speaks  of  the  count- 
ing-house of  the  merchant  as  fit  only  for  slaves  of 
freedmen,  not  for  honorable  citizens.     In   fact,  almost 


OF   INTERNATIONAL   LAW.  '     379 

all  commerce  was  piracy,  and  there  is  extant  the  copy 
of  a  treaty  between  Carthage  and  Rome,  in  which  it 
,  is  agreed  that  the  vessels  of  the  latter  shall  be  allowed 
to  pass  the  Straits  in  the  pursuits  of  war,  commerce 
and  piracy. 

"  War,  too,  was  carried  on  not  for  the  redress  of 
grievances  merely,  but  as  a  natural  pursuit;  the  en- 
trails were  inspected,  and  all  other  auspices,  and  if 
these  were  favorable  to  success,  it  was  considered  a 
just  war  and  a  pious  duty.  The  city  attacked  was 
considered  accursed,  doomed,  and  justly  destroyT?d, 
the  war  not  terminating  with  a  white  flag  of  sur- 
render, but  all  being  put  to  the  sword  or  sold  as 
slaves.  Everything  —  the  life,  liberty  and  entire  prop- 
erty of  each  inhabitant  belonged  to  the  conquerors 
as  a  right,  and  one  that  was  expected  to  be  exer- 
cised. The  Jews  who  would  have  torn  up  the  pave- 
ments to  stone  to  death  an  adulteress,  would  have 
taken  all  the  wives  and  virgins  of  the  captured  city 
to  their  harems,  the  children  as  slaves.  So  did  the 
Assyrians  and  Babylonians  make  war,  and  so  the 
Romans;  sixty  thousand  slaves  were  sold  on  the  cap- 
ture of  one  city,  eighty  thousand  after  that  of  another, 
until  the  market  was  glutted,  and  the  conqueror,  whose 
nightly  suppers  cost  ten  thousand  dollars,  sold  slaves 
at  sixty-two  and  a  half  cents  each.  Ninety  thousand 
slaves   were    sold    after    the    conquest    of    Jerusalem. 


380  THE   BROTHERHOOD    OF   MAN 

The  conquering  chiefs  abused  the  bodies  of  the  slain 
as  Archilles  dragged  about  that  of  Hector  or  chained 
them,  if  living,  to  their  chariot  wheels  to  adorn  their 
triumphal  return ;  the  betrayed  rather  than  conqured 
Jugurtha  was  thus  served,  who,  when  unchained,  was 
cast  naked  into  a  dungeon,  and  only  after  six  days' 
starvation  was  there  put  to  death. 

"  Indeed,  slavery  thus  so  multiplied  that  Gibbon,  who 
seems  to  look  back  with  peculiar  complacency  on  the 
old  institution,  says  there  were  about  sixty  millions  in 
the  Roman  Empire.  But  this  is  too  little ;  fully  three 
fourths  of  the  inhabitants  were  slaves.  Every  son,  also, 
was  the  natural  slave  of  his  father,  and  never  emanci- 
pated by  being  of  age,  and  the  wife  and  all  the  slaves 
of  a  man  were  subject  to  his  will,  so  that  no  process  of 
Roman  law  could  cross  a  man's  threshold  to  inquire 
why  he  put  slave,  or  wife,  or  son  to  death !  In  fact,  the 
ancient  civilization,  which,  so  far  as  material  and  out- 
ward matters  went,  far  exceeded  ours,  was  based  on 
two  great  principles  —  hostile  gods  and  different  races. 
But  there  was  in  it  all  a  total  lack  of  spiritual  life. 

"  Christianity,  based  on  one  God  and  the  brotherhood 
of  man,  has  introduced  humanity,  brotherhood  and 
equal  rights,  into  international  law  out  of  the  idea  of 
the  common  divine  origin  of  man.  When  Jesus 
asked  who  was  neighbor  to  him  that  fell  among 
thieves,  he   erected  a  standard  of  humanity,  towards 


THE   BASIS   OF   INTERNATIONAL   LAW.  381 

which  international  law  has  been  climbing  up  for 
eighteen  hundred  years.  An  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a 
tooth  for  a  tooth,  to  love  a  neighbor  and  hate  an  enemy 
had  been  the  theory  and  practice  before.  But  under 
the  early  Christian  leaders  an  enthusiasm  for  humanity 
sprang  up,  and  there  was,  in  their  view,  neither  Jew 
nor  Greek,  barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  nor  free.  And 
this  system  advanced  first  to  a  share  in  power  in  the 
Roman  empire,  and  then  to  dominion.  Christianity, 
not  searching  timidly  for  truth,  as  Philosophy  had 
done,  but  teaching  it  as  an  authority  and  an  institu- 
tion, changed  the  whole  views  of  man. 

"  The  councils  of  the  Christian  Church,  with  all  their 
imperfections,  are  yet  a  just  and  noble  monument  of 
an  intellectual  kingdom  arising,  —  one  that  broke  down 
the  old  national  barriers,  mastered  every  language  as 
if  it  had  received  a  new  gift  of  tongues,  and  even 
established  a  universal  language  to  harmonize  races 
more  thoroughly.  The  sons  of  serfs  became  Princes 
of  the  Church,  Archbishops  of  Canterbury,  and  Popes. 
The  Crusades,  though  a  sad  error,  yet  united  nations 
in  new  relations.  Chivalry,  though  bad,  was  war  itself 
humanized  by  Christianity.  Under  Charlemagne  the 
idea  of  unity  was  pushed  to  the  illegitimate  length  — 
one  God,  one  race,  and  therefore  but  one  king:  But 
Christianity  introduced  resident  Ambassadors  whose 
persons  are  sacred,  prisoners  of  war,  with  the  idea  of 


382  R.  H.  Dana's  view. 

a  lawful  enemy  expecting  treatment  according  to  the 
laws  of  war.  Even  arbitration  has,  by  the  late  treaty 
of  Paris,  been  introduced  into  modern  treaties  as  a  reg- 
ular method  of  avoiding  war. 

"  Here,  then,  lies  the  contrast  of  international  rela- 
tions. War  then  was  considered  the  natm-al  and  nor- 
mal condition  of  nations,  as  now  peace.  "War  then 
had  no  limits  but  in  the  destruction  of  the  weaker. 
Now  it  stops  when  the  just  object  is  secured  for  which 
it  was  undertaken.  Then,  a  city  surrendered  was 
doomed.  Now,  it  is  turned  over  to  just  government; 
the  officers  are  paroled ;  and  in  our  late  war  so  also 
were  many  thousand  privates.  In  1863,  Dr.  Lieber,  by 
request  of  government,  drew  up,  for  the  treatment  of 
our  prisoners,  regulations  published  in  Europe,  and  in 
a  fair  way  of  being  almost  universally  adopted.  Pri- 
vate property  is  always  respected  now  on  land,  and 
subject  to  confiscation  at  sea  only  in  open  court. 
Anciently,  law  did  not  at  all  extend  to  the  sea.  If 
now  any  one  doubt  what  have  been  the  results  of  the 
words  of  Him  who  on  the  hills  and  shores  of  Galilee 
scattered  his  words  of  truth  as  a  sower  his  seed,  we 
have  only  to  turn  him  to  the  progress  of  international 
law  for  the  illustration  and  proof  of  all."  So  argues  one 
of  our  ablest  authorities  on  the  history  of  International 
law. 

IV.  But  the  most  important  of  all  the  evidences  of 


STRENGTH    OF   WILL.  383 

Christianity  is,  and  must  ever  be,  the  effect  it  exercises 
in  strengthening  the  will  of  mxin  to  do  right. 

While  the  error  of  a  few  is  that  over-strength  of 
mere  will  which  we  call  obstinacy  or  self-will,  the 
error  of  the  vast  multitude  is  feebleness  of  will.  The 
bodies  of  most  control  their  minds.  How  many  eat 
where  reason  would  say  abstain,  or  drink  that  which 
steals  away  the  senses  I  How  many  are  too  feeble  of 
purpose  to  lay  aside  an  interesting  book  or  pursuit  at 
the  hour  when  it  infringes  on  other  duties !  What 
hours  persons  waste  in  profitless  reading  or  talk ! 
Indeed,  there  is  a  fascination  and  tyranny  about  the 
present,  whether  company,  passion  or  pleasure,  that  we 
are  all  ashamed  of  afterwards. 

The  ancient  moralists  felt  this  as  much  as  we  do. 
Seneca  says,  in  language  quite  as  strong  as  that  of  St. 
Paul,  that  he  sees  the  right  and  admires  it,  and  the 
wrong  and  hates,  while  yet  he  practices  it.  Many  per- 
sons seem  to  think  it  enough  to  admit  all  this,  without 
attempting  to  overcoming  it.  In  fact,  to  be  weak  of 
will,  amiable,  and  easily  turned,  they  think  a  sort 
of  Christian  virtue.  Yet  it  is  one  of  the  most  rad- 
ical of  vices.  For  all  character  is  determined  by  the 
will,  which  is  therefove  essential  to  all  virtue.  The 
glory  of  every  human  being  is  to  have  a  strong  will, 
(which  need  not  be  self-willed,)  but  bowed  ever  rev- 
erently  to   truth    and    justice    and   eternal    law,    and 


384  STRENGTH   GAINED 

the  Supreme  Lawgiver.  But  there  must  be  a  vital 
strength  of  will,  in  order  to  choose  the  right. 

How  to  obtain  this,  is  a  question  to  which  many 
answers  have  been  given  by  different  persons.  Our 
strength  is  not  the  same  on  all  subjects  nor  in  all  cir- 
cumstances and  associations.  Weakness  or  strength 
of  bodily  health  has  much  to  do  with  this.  Exercise 
and  repose  affect  it.  An  over-tasked  nervous  system 
will  often  be  weak  and  irresolute,  when  half  an  hour's 
vigorous  exercise  or  a  sharp  walk  in  the  open  air  will 
renew  it.  The  hour  of  the  day  will  have  much  influ- 
ence. On  first  rising,  in  the  morning,  the  resolution  is 
comprehensive  and  strong,  while  at  night  it  is  often 
feeble.  Hence  the  most  successful  men  generally  plan 
out  the  day  early,  and  make  their  mark  while  the  will 
is  vigorous  and  undistracted.  Sleep  often  restores  this 
faculty.  Habit  has  still  more  to  do  with  it.  Every 
success  makes  a  future  one  in  the  same  matter  more 
easy  and  natural,  while  every  instance  of  being  sub- 
dued by  circumstances  makes  every  similar  temptation 
proportionably  powerful.  Association  has  much  to  do 
with  it.  In  the  company  of  those  we  respect  we  are 
easily  led. 

He,  therefore,  who  would  rule  his  own  spirit,  and  be 
strong,  must  attend  to  these  conditions.  Habits  that 
secure  the  most  perfect  health  are  hence  most  favorable 
to  virtue.     Sound  sleep,  vigorous  exercise,  proper  food, 


BY   PRAYER.  385 

fresh  air,  thus  become  Christian  duties,  to  be  secured 
at  almost  any  cost. 

But  there  is  one  habit,  which,  more  than  any  other» 
before  the  business  and  confusion  of  the  day  be  entered 
on,  will  strengthen  the  wisdom  and  the  will,  i.  e.  the 
practice  of  forecasting  the  whole  difficulties,  dangers 
and  plan  of  the  day  devoutly  in  prayerful  communion 
with  the  Heavenly  Father.  They  that  wait  upon  the 
Lord  shall  renew  their  strength.  As  the  moulting  bird 
recovers  youth  and  renewed  energy,  so  has  man,  in  all 
ages,  been  found  to  do  from  real  communion  with  the 
Father  of  Spirits.  The  power  of  vigorous  will  is  thus 
most  effectually  increased  and  restored.  Men  rise 
new  beings,  both  in  the  direction  and  force  of  their  reso- 
lutions. Dean  Trench  has  thrown  this  thought  into  a 
most  beautiful  little  poem  :  — 

"  Lord,  what  a  change  within  us  one  short  hour 

Spent  in  thy  presence  can  avail  to  make  ! 

What  heavy  burdens  from  our  bosoms  take  ! 
Wlaat  parched  grounds  refresh  as  with  a  shower ! 
We  kneel,  and  all  around  us  seems  to  lower ; 

We  rise,  and  all  the  distant  and  the  near 

Stand  forth  in  sunny  outline,  brave  and  clear ; 
We  kneel,  how  weak !  we  rise,  how  full  of  power ! 

Why,  therefore,  should  we  do  ourselves  this  ^vrong, 

Or  otliers,  that  we  arc  nofc  always  strong,  — 
That  we  are  ever,  ever  born  with  care,  — 

That  we  should  ever  weak  or  heartless  be. 

Anxious  or  troubled,  when  with  us  in  prayer, 

And  joy  and  strength  and  courage  arc  with  thee  ? 
17 


386  TRUE   E\TDENCES. 

These  are  some  of  those  evidences  which  he  who 
tries  practically  will  become  thereby  assured  of  the 
Truth  and  Divinity  of  Christianity.  And  without 
such  evidences,  all  other  will  be  but  of  little  value. 


THE  END. 


LIST  OF  WOEKS 
PUBLISHED  BY  D.  APPLETOi\-  &  CO., 

■'A  Descriptive  Catalogue,  with  full  titles  and  pnces,  may  he  had 
gvatuitously  on  application. 


Aboiifs  Roman  Question. 
Adams'  Uoy.s  at  Homo. 

lMlK;ir  Clilton. 

Addison's  Spectator.     C  vol.*. 
Adler's  German  and  Englisb  Diction- 
ary. 

Abridired  do.        do.  do. 

German  Reader. 

"        Literature. 

Ollendorir  for  Learning  German. 

ICey  to  tlie  Exercises. 

Ii»liii;enia  in  Tauris. 

After  Iceberfrs  with  a  Painter. 
.\!tnel's  Book  of  Chess. 
A'^uilar's  Home  Influence. 

Motlier'a  Kecompenso. 

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Home  Scenes. 

Woman's  Friendship. 

Women  of  Isr.iel.    2  vols. 

Vale  of  Cedars. 

Ahn's  Trench  Method. 

Spanish  Grammar. 

A  Kiy  to  same. 

(ierinan  Method.     1  vol. 

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vol. 

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vol. 
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Various  Writers. 
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to  the  l*resent  Time.    3  vols. 
Album  for  Postase  Stjuni)S. 
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folios. 
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losophy. 
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Allen*  Mechanics  of  Nature. 
Alsop's  Charms  of  Fancy. 
Amelia's  Poems. 

American  Poets  (Gems  from  the). 
American   Eloquence.      A   Collection 

of  Speeches  and  Addresses.     2 

vols. 
American  System  of  Education  : 

1.  Hand-Book     of    Anslo-Sa.\on 
Koot-Words. 

2.  Hand- Book    of   An^'lo-Sa.\on 
Derivatives. 


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8.  lland-Book  of  Engrailed  Words. 

Anderson's    Meraiutilo    Correspond- 
ence. 

Andrews'  New  French  Instructor. 

A  Key  to  the  above. 

Annals  of  San  Francisco. 

Antisell  on  Coal  Oils. 

Anthou's  L;iw  Student. 

Appletons'  New  American  Cyclopiedia 
of  Useful  Knowledge.     10  vols. 

Annual  C'_velop;edia,  and  Register 

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'02,  '(>i,  '(>4,  '0.5. 

Cyclopiedia    of   Biography,   For- 
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sixn. 
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Dictionary  of  .Mechanics  and  En- 
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Railway  Guide. 

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Companion  Hand-Book  of  Travel. 

Arabian  Nights'  Entertainments. 
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Arnold's  (Dr.)  History  of  Home. 

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('ornelius  Neiios, 

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Ccs-ir  L'Histoire  de  .iulrs.  par  S.  M. 
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Companion  to  Physiology. 

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Cornwall  on  Music. 

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Cousin  Carrie's  Sun  Bays. 

Keep  a  Good  Heart. 

Cousin's  Moikrn  Philosophy.     2  vols. 

On  the  True  and  Beautiful. 

Oulv  Bomanee. 


Coutaii's  French  Poetry. 

CovelTs  English  Grammar. 

Cuwles'  Exchange  Tables. 

Cowpcr's  Homer's  Hiad. 

Poems. 

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Coxc's  Christian  B.aliads. 

Creasy  on  the  English  Constitution. 

Crisis"  (The). 

Crosby's  (A.)  Geometry. 

Crosby's  (H.)  Oidipus  'ryrannus. 

Crosby's  (W.  I'.)  Quintus  Curtlus 
Bufus. 

Crowe's  Linny  Lock  wood. 

Cuirv's  Volunteer  Book. 

Cust  8  Invalid's  Book. 

Cyclopa'dia  of  Commercial  and  Busi- 
ness .'.nocdotcs.    2  vols. 

D'Abrantes'  Memoircs  of  Napoleon. 

r  vols. 
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Dana's  Household  Poetry. 
Darwin's  Origin  of  Specie?. 
Dante's  Poems. 
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Dawson's  Archaia. 
De  Belem's  Spanish  Phrase-Book. 
Do  Fivas'  Elementary  French  Header. 

Classic  French  Bender. 

De  Foe's  Bobinson  Crusoe. 
De  Girardin's  Marguerite. 

Stories  of  an  Old  Maid. 


De  Hart  on  Coiu-ta  Martial. 

Do  L'Ardechc's  History  of  Napoleon. 

De  Peyrac's  Comment  on  Parle. 

De  Stael's  Corinne,  on  L'ltalie. 

De  Veitelle's  Mercantile  Dictionary. 

Do  Vere's  Spanish  Grammar. 

Dew's  Historical  Digest. 

Dickens's  (Charles)  Works.  Original 
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Dies  Irae  and  Stabat  Mater,  bound  to- 
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Dix's  (John  A.)  Winter  in  Madeira. 

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Doane's  A\'orks.    4  vols. 

Downins's  liural  Architecture. 

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Dusseldorf  Gallery,  Gems  from  the. 

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New  Abridged  Edition. 

Spiritual   Conceits.     Extracted  from 
tho  wi-itinsrs  of  tho  Fathers. 

Sprague's  History  of  the  Florida  War. 

Stabat  Mater. 

Steam's  Shakspeai-e's  Medical  Knowl- 
edge. 

StratfordGallery. 

Strickland's   Queens   of  England:    n 
Series  of  Portraits. 

Story  of  a  Geniu-i. 

Surenne's  French  Dictionary. 
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^ 


Sutton's  Learn  to  Live 
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Tacitns'  Ilistories,  by  Tyler. 

Germania  and  Agricola. 

Tales  for  the  People. 
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Tasso,  by  Wiffen. 

Taylor  (Jeremy)  on  Episcopacy. 

Holy  Living  and  Dying. 

Taylor's  (W.  C.)  Manual  of  History. 

Separjite :  Ancient  History. 
Modern  History. 
Tegg's  Chronoloay. 
Templeton's  Millwright's  Companion. 
Thackeray  the  Humourist  and  tho  Man 
of  Letters. 

Barry  Lyndon.    2  vols. 

Book  of  Snobs. 

Mr.  Brown's  Letters. 

Mtz-Boodle. 

Jeamcs'  Diary. 

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Paris  Sketch-Book. 

Punch's  Novelist. 

Shabby  Genteel  Story. 

Yellowplnsh  Papers' 

Works.    6  vols. 

Dr.  Birch. 


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I Cheap  Edition.    2  vols. 


10 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO'.S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Thomson's  Seasons. 

Thorpe's  Bee-Hunter. 

Thoughts  in  Aflliction. 

Tin  Tnimjict. 

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Tolon's  Spanish  Ueader. 

Towle's  History  of  Henry  the  Fifth. 

Treasury  of  Travel  and  Adventure. 

Trench  on  the  Jliracles. 

"       Parables. 

"  "       Condensed. 

Ti-escotfs  Diplomacy. 
Truran  on  Iron  Manufacture. 
Tyndail  on  Heat  and  Motion. 
On  Radiation. 


White's  (Eev.  J.)  History  of  France. 
White's  (i;.  O.)  Shakspearc's  Scholar. 
White's  (Kirke)  Poems. 
Whitehead's   History  of   Perth  Am- 
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Tyng's  Four  Gospels. 

Uhlemann's  Syriac  Grammar. 

Uncle  John's  Library.    6  vols,  in  case. 

Upfold's  Manual  of  Devotions. 

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Abridged. 

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by  F.  O.  C.  Darley. 
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Webster's  Spelling  Book.  New  Edition 
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White's  (Rev.  J.)  Kighteen  Christian 
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Whitney's  Poems. 

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Wife's  Stratagem. 

Wight's  Translation  of  Cousin. 

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Wilson's  (Prof.  John")  Essays. 
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Wilson's   (Rev.  W.  D.)   Treatise  on 

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Wood's  Marrying  Too  Late. 

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World-Noted  Women. 

Worthen's  Rudimentary  Drawing. 

First  Lessons  in  Jlechanies. 

Wright's  (A.  D.)  Primary  Lessons. 
Wright's  (J.  H.)  Ocean  Work. 
Wyatt's  Christian  Allar. 

Xenophon's  Anabasis,  by  Boise. 
Memorabilia,  by  Robbins. 

Yonge's  Beechcroft. 

Ben  Sylvester's  Word. 

Castle  Builders. 

Clever  Woman  of  the  Family. 

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Friarswood  Post  Ofhcc. 

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Kenneth. 

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Richard  the  Fearless. 

Stokesley  Secret. 

Two  Guardians. 

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The  Dove  in  the  Eagles  Nest. 

Young   American's  Library.      9  vols. 

in  case. 
Youmans'  Alcohol  and  Man. 

Class  Book  ot  Chemistry. 

Chart  of  Chcmi.stry,  on  roller.^ 

Chemical  Atlas. 

Ho\isehold  Science. 

Yoiins's  Poems. 
Youth's  Book  of  Nature. 

Zschokke's  Goldmaker's  Village. 


BS480  .C98 

The  human  element  in  the  inspiration  of 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00011    1544 


